ERIN

ERIN
Newsletter
Edition 4, March 2016
WELDO
This is the Fourth edition of
ERIN Newsletter.
The
edition includes information
about the sustainable return
and reintegration measures
that are provided under
project
of
European
Reintegration
Network
(ERIN) to the Pakistani
nationals who no longer
have the legal right to reside
in
Belgium,
Germany,
Finland, France, Norway, the
Netherlands and the United
Kingdom.
Under ERIN, WELDO is the
service provider in Pakistan.
This newsletter has been
designed and compiled by
WELDO.
Established in 2003, with the core focus of, social, economic
and psychological support, WELDO has evolved into an
international organization that has provided assistance to
thousands of Pakistanis.
As a service provider, WELDO has extensive experience in
handling voluntary and non-voluntary returnees, offering
short-term and long-term reintegration support services thus
assisting returnees in effective transition and making returns
and reintegration process more sustainable.
Based on experience with a number of returns and
reintegration projects, WELDO is in a position to
understand and plan the needs and requirements of these
individuals, and create an environment for them where their
vulnerabilities are safeguarded while ensuring at the same
time that they become valuable members of society in both
productive and social fields.
In this edition:
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ERIN Introduction
European Partner Institutions
Reintegration services
PMU ERIN Monitoring visit
ERIN Info graphics
Success stories
Edition 4, March 2016
ERIN
Introduction
ERIN (European Reintegration Network) is a joint return and
reintegration project involving seven European
countries
(including six member states: the Netherlands, Belgium,
Germany, Finland, France, the United Kingdom and Norway,
which has special status as a non-EU state). ERIN is co-financed
by European Union. The objective of ERIN is to provide
assistance to the migrants returning to their country of origin in
the post arrival reintegration process.
European Partner Institutions (EPIs’)


Dutch Repatriation and Departure Service
Belgian Immigration Office

Belgian Federal Agency for the Reception of
Asylum Seekers

German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees

Finnish Immigration Service

French Office for Immigration and Integration

Norwegian Directorate of Immigration

UK Home Office
Ghulam Abbas 39; went to Italy in
January 2012 and from there moved
onto France in order to earn a good
living for himself. He could not find
any work while in France and was
arrested shortly afterwards. While still
in France, Abbas found about the ERIN
reintegration program through his
caseworker. Abbas says that, “When I
returned back, I was worried about
how I am going to support my family
financially as I had sold the business
prior to my travel abroad”. Abbas says
that he was concerned that he may not
be able to get the reintegration
assistance as promised but after
meeting WELDO’s staff members he
knew he could trust WELDO.
Abbas was interested in opening up
his own shoe store in home city of
Mandi Bahauddin in Pakistan. He
already has relevant and considerable
experience in this field and WELDO
compiled a business plan for him.
He is now the proud owner of Abbas
Shoes. Having excellent business
acumen, Abbas and is already making
excellent profits with his current
business and is planning to expand his
business within the next 6-8 months.
He is currently supporting his wife,
and two children. He is very thankful
to OFII and WELDO for all their
support and assistance in every means
to get him back on his feet again.
Mr. Ghulam Abbas in his Shoes
Store in Mandi Bahauddin
Edition 4, March 2016
Reception Services
at the Airport
Medical Facilitation
Assistance
Job Counseling
Onward Travel
Assistance
Emergency Housing
after return
Micro-business
Start-up Assistance
Temporary
Accommodation
Javad Akhtar hails from the city of
Gujar Khan and left Pakistan for the
UK in the early 2000, hoping to seek
out a better future for himself and
his family. Javad now 62-year-old,
says that political unrest, violence,
and the uncertainty in Pakistan were
some reasons behind his life
changing move due to which he had
to leave his wife, two daughters and
3 sons behind. Like most of the
immigrants, Javad was of the opinion
that moving to Europe is the key to a
successful life.
Javad a talented salesman with 10
years of experience under his belt
stayed in the UK illegally for 15 odd
years and created a new life for
himself. On returning back in
Pakistan, Javad was worried for his
wife and 5 children, and says “When
I returned I was worried about my
financial future.
Other re-integration
services
Technical Vocational
Educational Training
(TVET) Assistance
Additional re-integration
services for
unaccompanied minors
Mr. Javad Akhtar at his
Dhoom Net Café
I had no idea how I would feed my family.
My caseworker in UK informed me about
ERIN and the reintegration assistance that
will be provided to me by WELDO. Javad
says that when he returned he was very
much worried about his future and
expected he won’t receive support from
anyone but after contacting and meeting
WELDO’s staff members he knew he could
trust WELDO. Javad was interested in
setting up a business and was guided
through the whole process. Javad acquired
an internet café and as promised, WELDO
funded the acquisition process under the
ERIN reintegration assistance fund. Javad,
now the proud owner of Dhoom Net Café, is
running the business successfully and is
already making good profits. Javad says, “If
it was not for ERIN and WELDO, I don’t
know what I would have done and how I
would have supported my family. I thank
WELDO for their assistance and wish them
all the best for the future”.
Edition 4, March 2016
PMU ERIN Monitoring Visit to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: The delegation of ERIN Project
Monitoring Team arrived in Pakistan for three
day visit starting from February 23rd till
February 25th 2016. The PMU Monitoring Team
headed by Ms. Opelia Elliott (Home Office, UK)
and accompanied by Mr. Don Plokker (R&DS,
NL) and Mrs. Ramona Gierok (BAMF, DE) and
came to Pakistan to conduct interviews with
the returnees from Belgium, France, Finland,
Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the
United Kingdom. The delegation visited the
WELDO Head Office on February 24th, where
they were received by Ms Iram Masud,
Executive Director WELDO along with rest of
the staff members. The meeting included
presentation by Ms. Ammara Javed regarding
State of Play of the ERIN Project followed by the
presentation by Mr. Umer Waqas on financial
aspects of the ERIN Project implemented by
WELDO in Pakistan. Furthermore discussion
was conducted on the implementation of ERIN
Project till its termination period of May 2016;
the next phase of ERIN and Reintegration
Initiatives of the European Union was discussed
afterwards.
Ensuring the sustainable return and reintegration
process of Pakistani nationals under ERIN
Project, post reintegration meeting and
interviews with the returnees were conducted on
February 25th at the Islamabad Marriott Hotel.
The meeting along with the interviews shortlisted
by the PMU office of the ERIN Project was
conducted with the five returnees from Germany,
Belgium, France and the United Kingdom.
Edition 4, March 2016
France
Germany
UK
Belgium
Netherlands
42
39
19
17
5
Country-wise Returns to Pakistan under ERIN Project
More than 80% of the
returnees who have returned
to Pakistan under ERIN have
opted for the micro-business
start-up assistance
93% of the returnees are males
and 7% of them are females
19%
3%
76%
2%
Statistics show that more than 70% of the ERIN
returnees belong to the province of Punjab, the
most populated province of Pakistan.
The data on educational background of
the returnees indicate that majority of
them have minimal education level. Less
than 7% of the returnees have
graduated.