Furaha left Burundi in 2006 to apply for asylum in Ireland. He lived in Ireland for four years in an accommodation centre while his application was considered. During that time, he began to miss his family and wanted to return to Burundi. He asked the Irish immigration office if there were services that could help him return, and they told him about IOM.

Furaha made an appointment to speak with staff in the Dublin office, and found out that he could be assisted with both the cost of travel and through reintegration assistance. He began to think about what business he would open while still in Ireland.

After Furaha returned to Burundi, he contacted the local IOM office to apply for reintegration assistance. The staff assisted him in planning to open a moto-taxi business. With the grant, he was able to find a used moto-taxi, which he can now use to support himself. However, after six months, Furaha reported that he was facing a lot of competition from other moto-taxi drivers. He hopes to find more investment so that he can improve his services and profits.

Aida left Ethiopia to find work in Ireland 2008. She had small children, who were living with her mother when she left. Aida hoped to earn more money in Ireland to send back to them. After she had been living in Ireland for a year, Aida learned that her youngest child had become very ill. She wanted to return permanently to Ethiopia to care for her but could not afford the ticket. She was also nervous about traveling out of Ireland as an irregular migrant, so she contacted a lawyer for advice about her visa. The lawyer advised her to contact IOM to discuss voluntary return as an option.

When Aida met with IOM, she learned that she could receive assistance with paying for her plane ticket, and that IOM could help her obtain travel papers. She was also told that she could apply for reintegration assistance after she returned.