On the 9th of October 2029, CYID Director, Aihawu Victor, facilitated a specialized onboarding training session for the “Assisting the Reintegration of Returnees through Integrated Vocational and Entrepreneurship Support (ARRIVES) project for support staff in Abuja. The session, titled *Overview of the Psychological and Emotional State of Returnees, Including Trauma, Anxiety, and Reintegration Challenges*, focused on understanding the key challenges faced by returnees and how to adequately prepare for their return and the entire reintegration process.
Aihawu Victor also emphasized the importance of competence in handling reintegration, highlighting that, ideally, with proper collaboration with CSOs, reintegration programs should have only an entrance point, but no exit, ensuring continuous support for returnees.
Why This Matters:
Effective support helps returnees reintegrate better and minimizes the risk of long-term psychological issues.
He concluded with, a sustainable returnee reintegration program should include a comprehensive and holistic approach that addresses multiple aspects of a returnee’s well-being and ensures their long-term stability. Key components include:
- Psychosocial Support
- Economic Empowerment
- Vocational training, skills development, and job placement services.
- Entrepreneurship support
- Mentorship
- Educational and Professional Development
- Access to formal education and training programs.
- Certification and skills recognition for returnees to match labor market needs.
- Social Reintegration
- Access to Legal and Administrative Services
- Health Care
- Temporary housing solutions
- Long-term Monitoring and Follow-up
Participants were drawn from the International Trade Centre, IRARA, and consultants involved in the project.
ARRIVES is a project co-implemented by Social Impact, IRARA and International Trade Center funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) of the European Commission and the German Federal Office for Migration and Ref ARRIVES ugees (BAMF).
#MentalHealth #Reintegration #EdoState #Returnees #CYID #ITC”
