mrf nairobi bulletin - iom kenyakenya.iom.int/sites/default/files/april_2011_newsletter.pdf · mr....
Post on 21-Aug-2020
1 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
International Organization for
Migration (IOM)
Mission with Regional
Functions For East and Central Africa,
Church Road, Off Rhapta Road,
Westlands
PO Box 55040- 00200-Nairobi, KENYA
Phone: + 254 20 4444167/174
Fax: + 254 20 4449577
E-mail: piunairobi@iom.int
Website: http://nairobi.iom.int
Northern Kenya is a very arid region inhabited by
nomadic pastoralists and characterized by a frag-
ile ecosystem ravaged by climate change. It is also
an area which is susceptible to insecurity due to
regional ethnic tensions within the Kenya-
Uganda-Sudan-Ethiopia-Somalia borderlands.
Increasingly scarce resources have led to in-
creased pastoralist movements to insecure and
more environmentally fragile places in search of
water and pasture. Whilst these communities
have had long-standing “historical” tensions and
conflict over resources, chronic drought has sig-
nificantly increased the frequency of pastoral
movements and the duration of time spent in
“foreign” territory. These conditions create an
increased need for mobility by the herders to
move further and further afield for the survival of
pastoralist livelihoods.
IOM and the Ministry of Livestock’s veterinary
department carried out a skills training pro-
gramme from 31 March to 3 April, 2011 for pas-
toralists in Turkana County as part of IOM’s Emer-
gency Livelihood Support for Peace Building and
Safe Migration Programme, in an effort to
counter the effects of drought caused by climate
change and conflicts due to scarce resources.
IOM facilitated the four-day training session in
which forty pastoralists from Komudei water point
near Kakuma refugee camp were trained on issues
crucial to their interests including learning about
livestock diseases, veterinary drug usage to treat
livestock correctly, the importance of regular vac-
cination for cattle, as well as peace building and
conflict prevention awareness techniques. The
participating Turkana community members were
urged to be ambassadors for peace and conflict
prevention.
This latest training session revealed the urgent
need for continued information dissemination by
the trained pastoralists to their fellow community
members as most herders were not aware of the
dangers of sharing veterinary drugs with humans.
James Echoto, one of the elders who participated
in the training said: “For all my life I used to share
my animal drugs with my family members and
even my kraal members. We give it to the people
and even children when they are sick. I never
knew it kills. Now I am happy that this training has
come to save our children and also our animals.”
He said further, “For the vaccination of livestock
like for our children, we have been refusing to
take our animals for vaccination because we think
that they will bring diseases to our livestock. Now
we shall be bringing them!”
Plans are underway to organize additional training
workshops for the Turkana herders once the short
rains have begun and many of the pastoralists,
who have moved far away across the border
across to Uganda, have returned to Kenya.
IOM’s programming in Northern Kenya generously
funded by the Government of Japan, aims to
counteract the growing culture of armed violence
and promote peace among pastoralist communi-
ties and address the underlying issues surrounding
resource based conflict and inter ethnic/cross
border conflict situations through the promotion
of solidarity among conflicting communities.
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :
IOM Spearhead Peace
Building During a
Cattle Vaccination
Workshop
1
IOM Supports Reinte-
gration
Opportunities For
Returned Rwandan-
Refugees
2
Pre-Departure
Orientation For
Kenyan Youth
Labour Migrants
2
3
4
HOW TO VACCINATE CATTLE AND KEEP THE PEACE WITH YOUR NEIGHBOURS - THE INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION (IOM) AND THE KENYA MINISTRY OF LIVESTOCK ASSIST TURKANA
PASTORALISTS
A P R I L 2 0 1 1 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1 0
MRF NAIROBI
BULLETIN
IOM Calls for
’Migrant Friendly’
Medical Services on
World Health Day
Traditional Conflict
Resolution
Mechanisms
Adopted by
Pastoral
Communities to
Curb Escalating
Cattle Rustling
Pastoralists feeding their animals in Northern
Kenya© IOM 2011 ( PHOTO: Lilian Matama)
RWANDA: IOM SET TO SUPPORT REINTEGRATION
OPPORTUNITIES FOR RWANDAN RETURNED REFUGEES
Rwanda’s Minister of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs
(MIDIMAR) H.E. General Marcel Gatsinzi and the Regional Repre-
sentative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Mr. Ashraf El Nour, signed a Letter of Agreement (LoA) that will
see IOM continue with the implementation of phase two of a
project that seeks to enhance the socio-economic reintegration
opportunities of returned refugees from the Democratic Repub-
lic of Congo (DRC), in an event that was witnessed by the Japa-
nese Ambassador to Rwanda H.E Kunio Hatanaka.
IOM received an additional USD 1 million from the Government
of Japan (GoJ) to implement the second phase of a livelihoods
and skills training project for 1,000 returnees and their families
in five additional districts in 2011. In phase one of the project
IOM supported approximately 10,000 returnees and their fami-
lies in 10 districts across Rwanda through the provision of live-
stock and skill training, funded with an initial USD 2 million dol-
lars from the GoJ. The project also strengthened 80 skills training
institutions.
IOM will expand on the achievements of the first phase which
included a crucial rapid needs assessment that established base-
line data on returnees in 10 districts. IOM also assessed the ca-
pacities of institutions supporting returnees. As a result IOM and
MIDIMAR now have comprehensive data on the returnees who
will be supported by this project in those districts.
One of the key achievements of the first phase of the pro-
gramme is the enhancement of service delivery by Rwanda’s
National Refugee Council (NRC) and District Social Welfare offi-
cers was also increased. IOM trained district social development
officers in data collection and database maintenance, identifica-
tion of beneficiaries and development of monitoring and follow
up procedures and mechanisms.
P A G E 2 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1 0
Rwanda lacks adequately trained human capital, particularly
for technical professions, as a result of the 1994 genocide, in
which many members of the educated and skilled workforce
were lost. As a result, the Government of Rwanda (GoR) has
called for a well-trained, motivated and adaptable workforce
as key to its economic and social development.
IOM’s project adopts a collaborative approach to the imple-
mentation of this project by working hand in hand with GoR
counterparts at national (with the new line ministry in charge
of Refugee Affairs heading the National Refugee Council),
district (represented by the district social development offi-
cers) and at community level, to ensure the sustainable deliv-
ery of project results.
IOM’s Regional Representative Mr. Ashraf EL NOUR signs Letter of
Agreement for second phase TICAD Project with the Minister for
Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs Gen. Marcel GATSINZI.
Looking on is the Ambassador of Japan in Rwanda H.E Mr. Kunio
HATANAKA © IOM 2011 ( PHOTO: Jean Luc Ndahimana)
During the development of the Youth Employment Scheme
Abroad (YESA) by the Youth Enterprise Development Fund
(YEDF) in Kenya in 2007, it became clear that pre-departure
orientation is a very critical component in the labour migration
process. A Memorandum of Understanding between IOM and
YEDF designated IOM to assume a leading role in the provision
of this critical service. The IOM Cultural Orientation Pro-
gramme has been providing pre-departure orientation for
youth labour migrants before they leave Kenya for their desti-
nation countries for secured employment since 2008.
There has been a constant increase in the number of partici-
pants since the start of the program in November 2008. The
first 49 youth trained in 2008 were destined for Iraq as secu-
rity guards on a two year contract. 2009 saw 64 trained mi-
grants leave for the Middle East, in particular Qatar and Ku-
wait, to assume two-year jobs as drivers and carpenters, while
in 2010 a significantly higher number of 719 young Kenyans
left for work as drivers, domestic workers as well as fish clean-
ers, and similar jobs in Qatar, Afghanistan, UAE (Dubai) and
Saudi Arabia. This trend continues in 2011, as 521 young la-
bour migrants have already been provided with pre-departure
training by the end of March.
The countries of destination are diverse, but statistics show
that the top receiving countries for labour migrants through
this program are Afghanistan, Qatar, and UAE Dubai, followed
by Saudi Arabia. Just as the countries of destination vary, the
types of jobs that are in demand are manifold.
In March 2011, for example, the most common jobs offered to
young Kenyans abroad were driver (31%); loader, including
airport cargo handler and fork lifter (16%); fuel operator
(11%); mechanic (10%); domestic worker (10%) laundry atten-
dant (5%) and electrician (2%), with other jobs, such as waiter,
pot washer, cook, gym instructor etc. making up 15 % of the
offered positions.
PRE-DEPATURE ORIENTATION FOR YOUTH
LABOUR MIGRANTS
P A G E 3 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1 0
The International Organization for Migration in coordination
with the Government of Kenya and the World Health Organiza-
tion call for immediate action against drug resistance
April 7, 2011 marked World Health Day: an international com-
memorative day to platform pressing global health issues. This
year focuses on drug resistance, a serious worldwide health con-
cern also affecting Kenya.
Today powerful and effective medicines – known as antimicrobi-
als − exist to treat diseases and infections such as malaria, tuber-
culosis and respiratory ailments. It is hard to imagine a world
without antimicrobials, but we are now on the brink of losing
their potency and effectiveness.
In Kenya antimicrobials are continuously being misused: drugs
are shared, patients are self-medicating and buying their medi-
cines directly over the counter, prescriptions are not duly fol-
lowed and treatments often go uncompleted.
The misuse of such medicines is causing a spike in health care
costs, greater suffering, disability and even fatality. Over 35,000
cases of resistance to several effective drugs for tuberculosis
have already been notified by over 35 countries since 2007 in
East and Central Africa.
As an official World Health Day partner in the region, the Inter-
national Organization for Migration (IOM) asks the international
community not to forget the specific health care needs of mi-
grants and mobile populations.
Ashraf El Nour, Regional Representative for IOM, comments:
“Due to a number of social factors, such as immigration status
and language barriers, migrants and mobile populations are
more likely to self-medicate which often leads to drug resistance.
A group of young migrants in a group discussion during pre-
departure training . PHOTO© IOM 2011
For the young migrants, the process to find employment
abroad begins with an interview process by recruitment
agencies, who are trying to find the best candidates for the
job. As a next step, these agencies contact YESA to request
training for their selected candidates, who then participate
in a one-day, interactive training provided by IOM Kenya.
Through this pre-departure training, IOM helps young mi-
grants to develop realistic expectations about working in
their destination countries. A lack of information about
their destinations causes a lot of insecurity and tension
among potential migrants, who are often worried about the
situations they are likely to encounter abroad.
To counter this, IOM provides them with accurate informa-
tion about their destination countries and information
about rights and benefits in the context of their employ-
ment. Most importantly, however, IOM enables the young
migrants to develop the awareness and the skill that they
will need if they are to successfully adapt to the society at
their destination.
The challenges that these young migrants will face are di-
verse and they begin at the start of their journey. Many of
these young Kenyans have never travelled before, much
less set foot on a plane. The IOM pre-departure training
gives them the opportunity to learn about the flight process
through watching a video; they learn the dos and don’ts of
packing and, most importantly, how to behave on a plane.
Many of the young migrants feel that the training was the
best thing that ever happened to them. Towards the end of
the session many participants have renewed confidence,
are happy and confess to having learnt how to handle new
situations and to have an open mind.
IOM has so far helped a total of 1,353 labour migrants to
prepare for their journey and stay in their country of desti-
nation, to overcome and cope better with the culture shock
upon arrival and to deal with situations as they may arise
during the duration of their contracts.
IOM AND PARTNERS CALL FOR URGENT ACTION
AGAINST DRUG RESISTANCE IN KENYA ON WORLD
HEALTH DAY
Boys performing a skit during the 2011 World Health Day
© IOM 2011 (PHOTO: MARY-SANYU OSIRE )
P A G E 4 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1 0
The issue is inequality; such populations are invisible and existing
disparities are preventing them from accessing quality health care.
We must ensure medical services are ‘migrant friendly’ to reduce
these disparities and curb drug resistance in Kenya, and indeed,
globally.’’
If drug misuse continues unchecked, many infectious diseases risk
becoming uncontrollable and could derail progress made towards
reaching the health related United Nations Millennium Develop-
ment Goals for 2015.
World Health Day will be commemorated at the Riruta Health Cen-
tre, Dagoretti, Nairobi with Hon Beth Mugo EGH, MP leading the
proceedings.
Persistant insecurity has been a major challenge along the Kenya-
Uganda border arising from cattle rustling as communities scram-
ble for access to diminishing pasture lands, and water for their
animals.
In April 2011, IOM convened a meeting between the Pokot
(Kenya) and the Karamoja (Uganda) communities; who are pre-
dominately nomadic pastoralist living along the Kenya-Uganda
border region. The meeting held at the border point of Orolwa
North Pokot District in Kenya and the neighboring Karita Division
in Uganda.
Facilitated by IOM, the meeting brought together some 500 par-
ticipants including local administrative government officials from
both communities, political leaders, Pokot and Karamoja elders
and community members.
The main purpose of the meeting was to bring together the two
communities in an attempt to curb escalating cattle rustling and
TRADITIONAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION MECHANISMS
ADOPTED BY CROSS BORDER COMMUNITIES TO CURB
ESCALATING CATTLE RUSTLING ACTIVITIES AMONG THE
POKOT (KENYA) AND KARAMOJA (UGANDA)
Kenyan elder addressing cross border communities during the ©IOM
2011(PHOTO: Richard Mutai)
form a joint surveillance team to monitor and report conflict
issues along the two borders. Elders engaged actively in dia-
logue citing common cultural practices between the commu-
nities and the need to cultivate good neighborliness.
To put theory into practice, a cleansing ceremony of warri-
ors from both communities who had been known to be in-
volved in cattle rustling and who agreed to desist from doing
so in future, were blessed by the elders in a ceremony pub-
licly witnessed by the provincial administrators, political
leaders and members of their respective communities.
A surveillance team comprising six community members was
established including two from Uganda, one from Orolwa,
two from Kapenguria and one from Marakwet on the Ken-
yan side in an effort to keep the peace in future.
To end the meeting both communities were led into reciting
the peace pledge by IOM officials and committed them-
selves to promote non violence development activicties.
IOM officials on the ground took the opportunity to brief on
the dangers of human trafficking. A bull was ceremoniously
slaughtered, roasted and shared among the elders as a sign
of reconciliation.
P A G E 5 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1 0
MRF NAIROBI WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE DONORS AND PARTNERS WHO HAVE FEATURED IN THIS
MONTH’S NEWSLETTER AND WITH WHOSE SUPPORT THESE PROGRAMMES HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Mission with Regional Functions For East and Central
Africa,
Church Road, Off Rhapta Road/Westlands
PO Box 55040- 00200-Nairobi, KENYA
Phone: + 254 20 4444167/174
Fax: + 254 20 4449577
E-mail: piunairobi@iom.int
Website: http://nairobi.iom.int
top related