Migration Seminars Project

Project description and objective

Every year, thousands of residents of Kyrgyzstan travel to Russia in search of work with better wages than they can make in their home country. Many are misinformed about dangers and legal situations involved with making this trip. This project aims to provide useful information for those considering migrating, highlighting the many benefits of obtaining the proper documents and working legally. The seminars also highlight the serious effects on families, particularly children, from parents being away for extended periods. Finally, the seminars offer assistance to families in design strategies to reduce these negative effects. This project was arried out in Osh Region.

Major Activities Completed and Results

Through participating in a two-hour seminar, people are equipped to make an informed decision about going to work in Russia. A wide variety of relevant issues are dealt with including the obvious financial considerations, family issues, health issues, and obtaining proper work documents. A total of 10 seminars were conducted in various settings, including schools, universities and villages. This occurred in 4 different cities and villages, with a total of 340 people participating as summarized in Table 1.

Tables 1 – Location and Dates of Seminars

Participants learned useful information from the seminars. One university student commented that now understood better what documents were needed for working in Russia plus he better understood his rights as a migrant worker. Another university student commented that he was reconsidering his decision to work abroad after the seminar. But all acknowledged that knowing the legal procedures was only part of the battle. As one man commented, it is difficult to follow the procedures correctly; the people in the embassy don’t help us.