Safer Migration (SaMi) Project
Introduction:
Safer Migration (SaMi) Program is a bilateral initiative between the Government of Nepal and the Government of Switzerland. It is implemented by the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security and 4 participating local governments (Dhulikhel, Mandandeupur Municipalities and Bhumlu, Roshi Rural Municipalities) of Kavrepalanchok district, Bagamati Province. Helvetas Nepal provides technical assistance to the program on behalf of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). In Kavrepalanchok District, local levels (Dhulikhel, Mandandeupur Municipalities and Bhumlu, Roshi Rural Municipalities) and the Local Service Provider (LSP) organization Civic Forum were signed on 25th December, 2019 and the program activities were implemented until the 15th July, 2022.
Objectives:
- Proper protection of foreign workers and workers’ families.
- To provide workers with information, skills, counseling and support so that they can work safely and respectfully in the destination country.
- To make foreign employment more successful by enhancing the capacity of agencies related to foreign employment.
Key Activities:
- Access to Information.
- Access to Skills.
- Access to Justice.
- Psychosocial Support.
- Financial Literacy.
Expected Results:
- Men and women migrants and their families, including marginalised groups, benefit more from migration and mitigate its social implications.
- All spheres of government use effective mechanisms to protect the rights of migrants and their families.
Major Achievements
Access to Information:
Information and Awareness Raising on Safe Migration: SaMi developed an entire model for awareness raising and supporting an “informed” choice on migration. Located at the point of passport applications, Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) informs potential migrants about the implications of foreign employment and can refer them to support services. Key messages are also disseminated at community level through varied outreach mechanisms, including radio programmes and returnee volunteers.
- Establishment/operation of Migrant Resource Center (MRC): 1 (One)
- Information and consulting services flow
| Local Level | Through the Migrant Resource Center |
Through Returnee Volunteers (3 returnee per Palika) |
||||
| Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | Total | |
| Dhulikhel Municipality | 622 | 427 | 1049 | 3721 | 2703 | 6424 |
| Mandandeupur Municipality | 594 | 339 | 933 | 4325 | 1640 | 5965 |
| Bhumlu Rural Municipality | 313 | 221 | 534 | 2790 | 1444 | 4234 |
| Roshi Rural Municipality | 568 | 405 | 973 | 2149 | 1185 | 3334 |
| Other Local Level | 4178 | 2999 | 7176 | – | – | – |
| Total | 6275 | 4390 | 10665 | 12985 | 6972 | 19957 |
| Local Level | Through in-depth orientation | Through community orientation | ||||
| Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | Total | |
| Dhulikhel Municipality | 143 | 29 | 172 | 91 | 166 | 257 |
| Mandandeupur Municipality | 139 | 40 | 179 | 112 | 79 | 191 |
| Bhumlu Rural Municipality | 69 | 44 | 113 | 67 | 108 | 175 |
| Roshi Rural Municipality | 110 | 48 | 158 | 77 | 122 | 199 |
| Total | 461 | 161 | 622 | 347 | 475 | 822 |
Access to Skills:
Pre-departure Skills Training: Experience shows that migrating with some preparatory skills support professional integration, security at work, and higher wages. The project is providing one-month free-of-costs skills trainings in different trades: mainly on garment machine operator, housekeeping/cleaner, kitchen helper, welder, plumber, scaffolding and industrial electrician work. The curricula developed for these trades also includes modules on life skills and health. They are approved and used by the Foreign Employment Board.
- Provide free skill training including accommodation
| Local Level | Number of participants trained | ||
| Male | Female | Total | |
| Dhulikhel Municipality | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Mandandeupur Municipality | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Bhumlu Rural Municipality | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Roshi Rural Municipality | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Other Local Level | 8 | 7 | 15 |
| Total | 14 | 19 | 33 |
Access to Justice:
Legal Support and Access to Justice: SaMi supports migrants that are victims of fraud and exploitation to get access to justice. A mechanism for legal aid informs migrants about their rights, helps them in tracking down fraudulent recruitment agencies and claim compensation. Similarly, SaMi provides support to distressed migrant workers in destination countries by coordinating with partners and the Nepali diplomatic missions in the destination countries.
- Assistance in providing free legal services
| Local Level | Number of registered problems | Number of problems solved | Financial assistance and compensation amount | ||||||||
| Cheating | Rescue | Death | Others | Total | Cheating | Rescue | Death | Others | Total | ||
| Dhulikhel Municipality | 5 | 12 | 0 | 16 | 33 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 0 |
| Mandandeupur Municipality | 8 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 32 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 0 |
| Bhumlu Rural Municipality | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2,200,000 |
| Roshi Rural Municipality | 8 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 25 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 725,000 |
| Other Local Level | 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 25,000 |
| Total | 33 | 42 | 6 | 35 | 116 | 0 | 34 | 6 | 12 | 52 | 2,950,000 |
Psychosocial Support:
SaMi initiated a psychosocial intervention to help migrants and families left behind deal with the psychological and social stress implied by migration. This component brings direct support to migrants’ households, in particular women, through home visits by trained counselors.
- Psychosocial counseling services to reduce psychosocial problems caused by foreign employment
| Local Level | Psychosocial counselor development and operation | Personal psychosocial counseling services | Group psychosocial counseling services | Quarantine and isolation psychosocial counseling services | ||||||||
| Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | Total | |
| Dhulikhel Municipality | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 41 | 43 | 1 | 163 | 164 | 31 | 1 | 32 |
| Mandandeupur Municipality | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 36 | 39 | 0 | 144 | 144 | 9 | 3 | 12 |
| Bhumlu Rural Municipality | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 37 | 0 | 79 | 79 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Roshi Rural Municipality | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 40 | 44 | 2 | 130 | 132 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 153 | 163 | 3 | 516 | 519 | 50 | 4 | 54 |
Financial Literacy:
Many migrant households remain ill-equipped to make informed decisions on the use of the remittances generated through migration. SaMi developed financial literacy training to help families keep records of revenues and expenses, to save, and to make financial decisions. These trainings are provided at village level through small group sessions. They primarily target remittance receiving households and women family members.
- Conducting financial literacy classes to facilitate remittances in income generating sectors
| Local Level | Financial Literacy Facilitator development and operation | Class number | Number of participants | ||||
| Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | Total | ||
| Dhulikhel Municipality | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 194 | 2 | 196 |
| Mandandeupur Municipality | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 143 | 0 | 143 |
| Bhumlu Rural Municipality | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 84 | 0 | 84 |
| Roshi Rural Municipality | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 144 | 0 | 144 |
| Total | 0 | 4 | 4 | 27 | 565 | 2 | 567 |
| Date | Title |
|---|
Project information
- Geographic coverage 4 Local Levels
- Project duration 30 months 22 days (25th December, 2019 to 15th July, 2022)
- Project Location Dhulikhel Municipality, Mandandeupur Municipality, Bhumlu Rural Municipality and Roshi Rural Municipality of Kavrepalanchok District
- Budget 30,470,000.00
- Funding partner's Dhulikhel, Mandandeupur Municipalities and Bhumlu, Roshi Rural Municipalities
- Implementation Partner (a) District Administration Office (DAO) (b) Employment Service Centres (ESCs) (c) Migrant Workers Rights Protection Forum
- Target groups (a) Potential workers going for foreign employment. (b) Workers in foreign employment. (c) Workers returning from foreign employment. (d) Family members of workers in foreign employment.
