The German Sparkassenstiftung (also referred to as DSIK) and the Migrant Labour General Workers’ Union International (MLGWUI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the training of Returned Migrants referred to as Returnees.

The signing ceremony took place on Friday, 24th March, 2023 at Kasoa Akweley, near Accra.

Per the MoU, Returned Migrants (Returnees) and Potential Migrants from Germany and other countries will be equipped with business training and business coaching training as well as access to Credit Unions and their financial products and services.

Additionally, the beneficiaries will be offered business coaching skills to design their own business plan and budget.

Selected Credit Unions will also be supported with funds from the Migration Business Loan Fund to enable the disbursements of loans to make the best business ideas a reality.

“Under this agreement, DSIK will task the partnering organization to organize an indefinite number of business trainings under the consideration of the below spelled out conditions. The number of trainings may depend on satisfactory conduct of the trainings, availability of beneficiaries and funding for the trainings,” a portion of the MoU reads.

In a speech after the signing ceremony, the General Secretary and Head of Education and International Relations of MLGWUI, Justice Baako Ntarmah expressed his appreciation to the German Sparkassenstiftung for the “Cooperation Agreement”.

“Until the inception of the German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation DSIK projects in Africa, for business training and coaching training with financial support for Economic Inclusion of African Migrants (Returnees) and Potential Migrants in Ghana and the Gambia, African Migrants especially, Return Migrants had no Hope in our lives or livelihood after many of us had returned from diaspora to our homeland, Africa without achieving our labour migration purposes.” he said.

According to Mr. Ntarmah, “now, over thousands of African Return Migrants (Returnees), including Migrant Workers and Migrant Entrepreneurs, Migrant Farmers and Migrant Students have hope in our livelihood through Economic Inclusion of Returnees and Potential Migrants on the business training and coaching training project being executed by DSIK.”

“The Leadership of the Migrant Labour General Workers’ Union International (MLGWUI) is grateful and can boldly testify to the entire world that many African Migrants have benefited from a number of initiatives and interventions being executed by the German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation DSIK since the inception of the Project in Africa till now” Mr. Ntarmah added.

In her speech, the Project Coordinator for Migration, Madam Susanne Giese, told trainees the history about how the German Sparkassensitiftung started 250 years ago and explained the purpose of including the Returnees and Potential Migrants project.  

She said over 3,000 Returnees and Potential Migrants have been trained since inception of DSIK project in Ghana and the Gambia. Out of this number, 110 have received full training and financial support.

Answering questions on why many Returnees are trained but only 110 have received support, Madam Giese explained that it is due to unsatisfactory business plans many trainees submitted to German Sparkassensitiftung, which could not be  considered for approval.

She, however, assured trainees that the DSIK is doing its best to ensure this training project supports all Returnees for sustainable businesses and better livelihood.

She informed the trainees that another project called Business Pack will be established soon.

The Regional Coordinator Western Africa, Mr. Kwang Yung gave his personal story in migration and taught trainees on business time management.  He advised Returnees not to hide themselves after they return home. "Do not feel shy and hide yourselves because you did not achieve your purposes when you migrated."

The 50 trainees comprised Returned Migrants (Returnees) from Germany, Cyprus, Holland, Italy, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Liberia, Nigeria and Potential Migrants who have attempted to migrate but could not reach their intended destination countries.

All 50 trainees in three separate training sessions received Certificate of Participation.