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Sustainable Reintegration of Returning Migrants during COVID-19
Narantuya moved to the Czech Republic in 2018, in hopes of securing a better future for herself and her family. There, she worked as a hairdresser and a tailor for two years.
“My mother was sick before I moved to Czech Republic, so helping her with her medical bills was one of the main reasons to move there,” she explained.
Prior to migrating to the Czech Republic, Narantuya worked as a hairdresser for many years and also had some experience in the tailoring industry.
Unfortunately, her stay in the Czech Republic was abruptly curtailed by COVID-19 which resulted in a significant decrease in work and income, which negatively affected the livelihoods of many migrants like Narantuya.
“Since I had sent all my savings to my family, I could not afford to stay any longer in the Czech Republic and the longer I stayed without a stable income, the worse my situation became,” she said.
The only solution left to her, she felt, was to return home to Mongolia. Through the Mongolian community in the Czech Republic, she learned about the International Organization for Migration’s Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme and decided to contact IOM immediately.
In April 2021, Narantuya and other returnees safely returned to Mongolia on a chartered flight supported by IOM.
Narantuya is one of the 1,300 beneficiaries, that IOM supported to return home during the COVID-19 pandemic. IOM also supported their reintegration in the country with over USD 1.3 million.
In cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IOM organized two chartered flights from Europe – Germany and the Czech Republic, and delivered direct assistance to over 72,000 people, including internally stranded migrants.
Upon her return, Narantuya was able to receive reintegration assistance to help her with resettling at her country of origin.
IOM Mongolia assists returnees with reintegration assistance based on their financial, housing, health, and psychosocial needs within one year of their arrival. Narantuya opted to start her own tailor business and do some renovation for her home.
Narantuya's home before renovation(Left) and Narantuya's home after renovation (Right)
“I already had experience in the tailor business and thought this would be the best way to restart in my country,” she explained.
She says she was also inspired by her mother, a tailor herself, to start her tailoring business. “Actually, my mother used to sew Mongolian national clothes for a TV channel when she was younger,” Narantuya proudly added.
Nowadays, Narantuya makes street wear that is sold in three shopping centers. The flexibility to work from home provides an advantage in that she can take care of her ill mother.
She explains that the profit from her business supports her family expenses as such as housing, utilities, and school supplies for her grandchildren. Soon, she will be hiring her first employee and creating employment for others in her community. After that she hopes to expand her business and employ more people and get more orders.
On 10 August, 2022, Narantuya was one of eight beneficiaries from selected projects to meet the UN Secretary-General(UNSG), António Guterres, during his recent official visit to Mongolia.
She was pleased to be able to share her reintegration and return story with the UNSG and was able to express her gratitude.
“Thank you, Secretary-General and all the staff for helping millions of citizens like me and creating real changes in their lives,” she said.