Kigali - IOM has stepped up efforts to support the sustainable reintegration of Rwandan refugees returning from neighbouring countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

The organization is training some 184 trainers, who will in turn impart their acquired skills to 1,500 selected returnees and vulnerable members of host communities in Rwanda.

The training of trainers, which is the fourth in a series of similar interventions for returnees, is funded by Japan and focuses on improving teaching skills, providing advanced training for effective adult learning and promoting best practices to help returnee beneficiaries to become self-employed.

Returnees are trained in skills including carpentry, welding, knitting, tailoring, mechanics, masonry and hairdressing.

The trainers are drawn from the districts of Gisagara, Huye, Nyaruguru and Nyamagabe (Southern Province), Karongi, Nyabihu, Rubavu and Rutsiro (Western Province), and Musanze (Northern Province).

Given the success of phases I, II and III of the project, IOM and the Ministry for Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs are now targeting 5,000 direct beneficiaries, of whom 1,500 will receive vocational skills training and 1,500 will receive livestock assistance. Another 2,000 beneficiaries will be provided with construction materials to improve their housing.

Since its inception in 2010, the programme has benefited more than 8,000 direct beneficiaries and their families, representing a total of over 40,000 indirect beneficiaries. 

The impact of the programme can already be seen in a 78 per cent average increase in income for direct beneficiaries and an improvement in living conditions for 63 per cent of beneficiaries who received housing assistance under the previous three phases.

For more information, please contact

Catherine Northing
IOM Rwanda
Email: iomrwanda@iom.int