Almost all of the illegal migrants going to neighbouring countries from Borikhamxay province to seek employment do so for reasons of poverty, according to a senior labour official.
The Head of the provincial Labour and Social Welfare Division, Mr Bounyou Phommavongsa, gave an interview to Vientiane Times last week during the three-day annual meeting of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare from October 17-19 in Vientiane .
According to a survey conducted in 2005, 465 people from the province aged 19-35 years, of whom 216 were female, went to neighbouring countries to seek work. Forty of them were victims of human trafficking and have since been sent back.
Mr Bounyou said that unemployment was the main reason for people migrating.
“The peak time for illegal migration is after harvesting, when people need extra income to support their families,” he said.
Some of them had suffered severe crop damage caused by weather extremes and had been unable to obtain a good yield. This led to financial hardship, forcing them to look for alternative sources of income.
The migrants went to neighbouring countries in various ways; some were tricked by employment brokers and others went of their own accord, but the reason was always the same – to find work.
To resolve the situation, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) funded a two-year project, the ILO International Programme on the Elimination of Labour/Trafficking in Children and Women, from 2005-2007. This had succeeded in reducing the number of illegal migrants from the province by two-thirds.
The project, which ended this month, was conducted in the districts of Pakxan and Thaphabath, involving eight villages. These districts were home to the highest number of migrants, according to Mr Bounyou.
The project's activities included training courses for provincial and district staff, who campaigned among local people on the dangers of working illegally in another country. Courses included small business operation, crop planting techniques and livestock production.
The most impressive of the project's activities was the establishment of village development funds, with an initial injection of 120 million kip and 300-400 members.
“The fund has played a significant role in alleviating poverty and reducing the number of illegal migrants as people now have a funding source for their agricultural activities,” Mr Bounyou said.
The funds have risen to 769 million kip and expanded to 17 more villages in the two districts with 2,937 members. Loans can be obtained at a low interest rate of 3-5 percent depending on the duration of the loan.
Each shareholder is obliged to contribute 5000 kip a month; a person can hold more than one share. At the end of each year the funds' committee distributes interest to each shareholder.
Mr Bounyou thanked the ILO for supporting the project.
To step up efforts to eliminate illegal migration, the Labour and Social Welfare Division has presented a proposal to the ILO for further support so that the provincial authorities can extend the project in the 17 other villages.
