By Ya Awa Touray
The Director of Diaspora, and Migration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Musa Camara on Tuesday 11th July 2022, received in his office Mr. Gotz Von Roell and Mr. Yaya Sonko, Project Managers of the “New Placement International” Project. The duo visited The Gambia to introduce a new project they have conceived aimed to enhance smooth and sustainable transitioning and reintegration of Gambian migrants who wish to return voluntarily from Germany.
Mr. Gotz Von Roell is a German citizen who has worked on many projects supporting migrants. Mr. Yaya Sonko, a Gambian residing in Germany, is currently the Speaker of the West African Migrants in Germany and doubles as a member of the Refugee Council of the State of Baden Württemberg in Germany. Mr. Sonko has vast experience representing African migrants in Germany.
Some Gambians are facing challenges and want to come home,but due to the reintegration package given by IOM, they are not quite convinced they should return.
According to Mr Yaya Sonko, the initiative is starting as one year pilot project with the goal to give extra financial support to fellow Gambians who would decide to go home voluntarily. The project will also support their own perspective and goals of reintegration in The Gambia. This project is endorsed and financially supported by Baden-Württemberg. The unique selling point is counseling “peer-to-peer”.
.Director of Daspora and Migration Musa Camara highlighted the government’s role in engaging German authorities. He said the Gambia government has proposed to the German authorities to enrole iregular migrants whose asylum’s applications were rejeted to enroll them into apprenticeship programs for couple of years through which they can be able to acquire different skills. Camara pointed out that, at the end of the program, they may return to The Gambia with some incentive/capital to run their own projects/businesses that will be sustainable and a positive-sum gain for both sides. He said the German side didn’t agree to the proposal but this project seems to strike a balance in that endeavour. director Camara wellcomed the duos iniative and said the government will support such initiatives in the interest of its citizens.