Victor left Nigeria and came to Ireland to seek asylum in 2007. He began living in an accommodation centre, but he worried after some time that his application would not be approved. He wanted to return to Nigeria but did not know how he could afford it. Victor began searching online and found that IOM could assist him through voluntary return.

He contacted IOM Ireland to discuss his options, and decided to ask for assistance in order to return to Nigeria. IOM staff also told him that he could apply for the reintegration grant, so that he could start a business or enrol in a training course. Victor decided to research the possibilities and applied for the grant after he returned to Nigeria.

Isma and her children came to Ireland as asylum seekers in 2008 and stayed for two years. During the time her application was considered, Isma was unable to work. She was frustrated with how long the asylum process took, and decided to take her family back to Nigeria.

Isma consulted staff at the accommodation centre where she lived. They told her she could contact IOM to ask for assistance through voluntary return. Isma learned that her family could be provided with support for the cost of travel to Nigeria, and that she could apply for a grant to help her start a business or go back to school.

After she returned to Nigeria, Isma and her children lived with family and received support from them until Isma could begin working. She applied for the reintegration assistance and started a small business selling drinks. After six months, IOM staff in Nigeria contacted her to ask how her business was progressing. Isma said that it was slow, but, “Business will improve.”