Our History
The African Development Organization for Migration (AFDOM), was formed in 2005 by a victim of irregular migration to Europe through the desert and Mediterranean, who went through horrifying experience and was deported to Northern Region of Ghana, with a resolve to raise awareness on the dangers of embarking on such irregular migration, with the hope of stemming the tide through planned programmes. AFDOM is therefore a product of social struggles and near-death experiences of the founder in his search for greener pastures in Europe through illegal routes. Consequently, there is passion in promoting what he stands for. Since 2007, AFDOM have implemented its educational campaign towards reducing the incidence of irregular migration to Europe. Since 2010, AFDOM expanded its educational campaign scope to include internal migration of unemployed youth to urban centres where they engage in menial jobs and live rough on the streets (Kayayie).
Over the years AFDOM have gained tremendous experience in community sensitization and Behavioural Change Communication towards reduction in dangerous migration to Europe or urban centres of the Ghana. In this regard AFDOM employs radio talk shows as well as drama and screening of documentary films to educate community members. Additionally AFDOM facilitated the formation of Anti Dangerous Migration Clubs (ADMCs) in some schools and communities to continue the sensitization process within their localities against dangerous migration. It has provided vocational skills training in different fields to the youth in Northern Ghana.
These efforts from AFDOM have contributed to reduction in dangerous migration as evidenced by the testimonies of people who usually phone in during radio discussion to indicate how the AFDOM educational campaign made them or their friends or relatives abort their intention to embark on dangerous migration to Europe through the desert or go to urban areas as kayayie.
LEGAL STATUS
AFDOM is a legal entity registered and recognized as an NGO under the Ghana Company’s Code of 1963 Act 179. It is a company limited by guarantee and registered with the Registrar General Department with registration No: G-15, 304. And also with the Department of Social Welfare with registration No: D.S.W. / 3494.
OPERATIONAL AREA
The organization’s operational area stretches to cover the entire Northern Region and some parts of the Upper East Region. It intends covering all districts in the three Northern Regions with its educational campaign on the risk of irregular/illegal migration to Europe and livelihood support programmes to the youth.
General Objective
Our goal is to contribute towards reintegration of returnees and reduction in the tide of young men and women from Northern Regions embarking on dangerous and dehumanizing migration to Europe and urban Centre’s in search of greener pastures through sustained educational campaigns and provision of livelihood support through vocational training and sustainable agriculture.
Our Vision
The vision of AFDOM is to minimize both international irregular migration and internal migration (rural-urban), and to improve the situation of victims of irregular migration who have suffered tremendously by assisting deportees to re-unite and re-integrate with their families.
Mission Statement
AFDOM is an organization mainly of rural and urban youth from Northern Ghana working to help reduce the menace of both international irregular migration and internal migration (rural-urban), by addressing some of the push factors such as:
- Educational campaign on the dangers associated with all kinds of dangerous migration.
- Offering enabling services like counselling to motivate returnees towards reintegration.
- Increase transparency on the various opportunities available at the district assemblies for youth livelihood support and such funds used judiciously in support of many unemployed youth in the area.
- Empowering the youth by providing opportunities for education, and enterprise development.
- Helping the youth to explore other options of empowerment in life.
- Empowering the youth into innovative agricultural practices and vocational training programmes aimed at creating employment opportunities for them.
- Promoting peace, unity, tolerance and understanding amongst these people.
- And finally Maintaining a secretariat and staff to help with planning, co-ordination of activities, advice financial management etc
AfDOM works in minimizing all kinds of dangerous migrations including migration through the Sahara desert and Mediterranean Sea, as well as promoting self-employment amongst the youth through vocational skills acquisition and sustainable agriculture. The Organisation also works in areas where discrimination and abuse of right of women and children are taking place, by combating this social ill through planned programmes such as indulging in series of research and facts-finding mission to be able to identify all causes of violence, abuses and discrimination militating against women and children.
VALUES AND BELIEVES
- Trust, transparency, respect and accountability.
- Sharing, coordinating and collaborating
- The inclusion of the most marginalized women, children and disabled in all spheres of life.
- Nurturing learning to effect positive change through innovative and creativity
Target groups
The primary target group of the educational campaign dimension of the project is the unemployed young men and women in Northern Regions who are likely to embark on dangerous migration to Europe or urban Centre’s in search of non-existent jobs. Additionally, returnees from Europe and other North African countries as well as returnee kayayie benefits directly benefit from the project through counselling and livelihood support to reintegrate into their communities. Parents also benefit through increased in knowledge through educational campaign on the need for family planning and responsible parenthood. In general, the beneficiaries are targeted under four different areas:
♦ Deportees from Europe and other countries in the world especially the North African countries to enhance their reintegration
♦Head porters (Kayayos)
♦Empowering the youth, who are the potential migrants (18-45 years) into vocational skills training and agricultural practices in Northern Ghana,
♦Education for parents to have increased knowledge and motivation on the need for family planning and responsible parenthood.
Our Programmes
The Programmes of AFDOM are as below:
- Peace building Programmes
- Educational campaign on irregular migration and Kayayie
- Vocational training programmes
- Food and livelihood security
- Sanitation, HIV and child trafficking programmes
- Governance and advocacy
- Promotion and protection of Rights of women and girls
- Counseling programmes for migrants