Migration of Ethiopian youth to the Middle East and its impacts on the migrants’ sending community : Raya- Mehoni Town

Abstract

In this contemporary era of globalization, though political barriers still matter, there is an increasing movement of people crossing borders of nation states. Even though migration studies in Ethiopia remain focused on internal dimensions, migration to the Middle East is a burning issue among government officials and local communities with surmounted impacts on the migrants’ sending community. This study aims at examining the Ethiopian youth migration to the Middle East and its impacts on migrants’ sending community of Raya-Mehoni town. In this study the micro individual approach, migration network theory and gender approach are employed to examine the causes of Ethiopian youth migration to the Middle East and the impacts posed on migrants’ sending community. The study employed qualitative research approach. Twelve focus group participants, eight potential migrants and four key informants from the local authority were selected using purposive and snowball sampling methods of research. It is also supported by secondary source of data. These methods and research approaches are formulated to answer the following research questions: (1) Which are the key drivers of the youth migration to the Middle East from Raya Mehoni town? (2) What challenges are the migrants’ sending community facing when the youths migrate? (3) Can the migrants’ sending community be benefited from the young people’s migration to the Middle East? The findings reveal that the youths migrate to the Middle East to improve their living standard and to support their family back at home. Unemployment, poverty and recurrent drought, and absence of interest free loans are the key driving forces for youth migration to the Middle East. This has a significant socio-cultural and politico-economic impact on migrants’ sending community of Raya-Mehoni town. Among other things, the youth migration to the Middle East poses pressure over family, psychological disturbance, exclusion, deep stress to pay debt, dependency and high consumption, increasing crime and contradiction with the culture of migrants’ sending community. Contrary to this, migration brings remittances, support for family and new insights for new projects in Raya-Mehoni town. Though there is a lack of prior research, this study may be used as a foundation for further research on international migration in Ethiopia.