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Reintegration through Vocational Training
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Full rehabilitation would be incomplete without assisting the victim to reintegrate into their community with the necessary tools to build a new life. To ensure the success of the reintegration program, beneficiaries of the program are offered opportunities to complete their education; receive vocational training, attend apprenticeship programs and develop income generating projects as part of the medium and long term reintegration assistance packages. The vocational school “Island of Hope” (Insula Sperantelor) is one of IOM’s main partners in providing professional training to beneficiaries. The school offers the opportunity to receive occupational training and assistance in entering the job market. During the period of 2003-2007, 350 socially vulnerable individuals referred by IOM received occupational training.
Ekaterina, 26, was raised and educated together with her five brothers by their mother as their father had passed away. Her family was very poor, her mother was unemployed and the only income earned by the family came from working in the fields.
Due to the social and financial hardships Ekaterina was facing, she decided to look for better opportunities abroad and ended up being trafficked to Romania where she was sexually exploited for five years. After returning to Moldova, she was identified by an NGO in Moldova and referred for further assistance to IOM. Through this program, Ekaterina received medical, legal, social and psychological assistance and was given the possibility to study a profession. She enrolled into cooking courses at the vocational training school “Island of Hope” (Insula Sperantelor), where she studied for six months.
During her first period of study, Ekaterina became involved in other activities such as: life skills building, aerobics and cultural events. Through communication with her classmates and other students from the Centre, she began to develop more self confidence. She actively participated in all practical lessons and involved herself seriously into the process of studying. Following her graduation, Ekaterina was employed by a local candy factory.
Ekaterina has showed her impressive willingness to see the goals in her reintegration plan through to the end. By putting her knowledge into practice, she is paving the way to a brighter future.
A donation of $1000 will provide a victim like Ekaterina 8 months of vocational training courses
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All photos credit: © Dana Popa
Disclaimer: The names in these stories have been changed to protect the identities of IOM beneficiaries. The people appearing in these photographs are IOM beneficiaries, but not the individuals mentioned in these stories.
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