Carlos came to Ireland with the hope that he would find new work opportunities. Although he did not have a work permit, he managed to find small jobs that allowed him to live in Dublin for almost a year. He was frustrated, however, that he could not find permanent employment. He decided that he wanted to return to Venezuela, but he worried that immigration would see that he had overstayed his tourist visa. He contacted IOM to ask for assistance in organizing his travel papers. Carlos was pleased to learn that he could also apply for a grant that would allow him to create a sustainable business.

Carlos decided to begin designing his own collection of unique wooden jewellery and small trinkets. They were popular enough that he can now also sell them through local retailers in tourist areas.