Foreign employment victims to counsel aspiring workers
TIKAPUR, Feb 16: Youths of Kailali, who were once victims during foreign employment, have launched a campaign to provide counseling to aspiring migrant workers.
As a part of Safe Migration (SaMi) project, a team of twenty youths have been voluntarily visiting the doorsteps of the families sending their loved ones for foreign employment to make them aware of the problems that foreign migrants usually face.
According to the youths, they have launched the counseling campaign so that the aspiring migrants will not have to face any hassles.
The volunteers have been raising awareness regarding important credentials including their skills, health examination, insurance and work permit. They also illustrated their own experiences and problems that they faced during foreign employment while relying on agents and manpower companies.
One of the campaigners, 28-year-old Nirmala Thapa, shared her plight with youths planning for foreign employment. She had reached Dubai via India. Thapa, who went for foreign employment after her bachelor's degree exams, had to return within a year after she could not bear the troubles anymore.
According to her, she used to work as a waitress in a hotel in Dubai but she was not paid the amount which she was promised. Subsequently, she returned back to Nepal after earning enough to repay her loan.
"I returned home after I earned enough to repay my debts although I had to bear troubles for a year," she said. According to her, foreign employment is more upsetting for women.
Foreign employment is equally challenging for men, other volunteers argued citing examples of troubles they faced during their employment in gulf countries.
Dhan Bahadur Budhamagar, one of the victims of Tikapur, returned from Malaysia after he found that he could not even earn the loan of Rs 150,000 he took for flying abroad. He informed that he was not provided the job and salary that he was promised.
Lack of proper work schedule for workers in Malaysia is one of the main problems that migrant workers face, according to Budhamagar.
"I had to work for nonstop for two-three days, including the night shift. Despite such hard work, I wasn't paid the salary as per the agreement," he said.
"We launched the campaign with an aim to ensure safe, systematic and fruitful foreign employment," added Budhamagar.
The SaMi project has not just been helping aspiring migrant workers with access to information and skills required, but also with providing justice to the victims of foreign employment, according to program coordinator Pancharam Chaudhary.
"A study suggested that those on foreign employment are facing troubles because of the failure to incorporate minimum standards set by the government," he told Republica.
Another campaigner Ratan Saud informed that they have become successful to facilitate in providing justice to the family of deceased migrant worker, Nara Bahadur Saud. "His family was provided with compensation of Rs 600, 000," he said.
The SaMi project is being implemented in 19 different districts. An information center in every project district has been setup with a view to provide necessary information about foreign employment.
Published on: 16 February 2016 | Republica
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