A World on the Move

Pictured above: Our teams reach remote border communities across southeast Asia

Migration, whether internationally or within a country, has been a constant throughout human history and is truly a global phenomenon. While there are undoubtedly many benefits to migration, there are also a variety of social issues related to migration that affect the communities we work alongside.

Some of the more difficult issues around migration involve circumstances where people are compelled to migrate because of oppression, conflict or disasters. This kind of migration, which often occurs within the borders of a given country, can leave individuals and families struggling to connect with loved ones, secure possessions, maintain livelihoods, and access appropriate food, water, clothing, shelter and basic supplies.

Mohamoud Ali Bullale, our Country Director in Somaliland, explains how this phenomenon translates to his country: “We support health facilities in…Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps…These IDPs generally fall into two categories; conflict induced IDPs and climate induced IDPs…A lot of people are leaving rural areas because their livestock is dying.”

Pictured above: We provide and support healthcare in communities that host refugees

Another issue is the variety of challenges that internal and international migrants can face in their new homes, such as racial, ethnic and religious discrimination, social exclusion and integration, exploitation, economic precarity, uncertain legal status, emotional distress, gender-based violence, culture shock, and lack of support networks.

Nomadic peoples and mobile workers can face particular challenges. They often face exposure to infectious diseases, while their ability to access healthcare and social support can be limited, especially when they are in transit, away from their official place of residence, or in unfamiliar territory. Furthermore, they sometimes experience social exclusion or conflict with settled populations.

Lastly, many communities are greatly affected by issues arising from emigration. These can include covering the cost of migration, family estrangement, loss of so-called ‘human capital’, the impact of remittances from expatriates, reintegration of returnees, and more.

As Teresa Fuentes, HPA’s National Administrator in Guatemala, explains: “Lack of opportunities and unemployment pushes many people, especially men, to migrate to the USA, Canada and Spain…Migration leads to family break-ups: the husband migrates, some forget about their families and abandon them, with many starting new families in the new country.”

Pictured above: We test and treat mobile workers for diseases like malaria

We work with communities, health workers and activists globally to address the many issues that drive people into poverty and poor health, including issues related to migration.

For example, in countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, this might mean establishing and supporting clinics in remote border communities, so health workers can detect the spread of diseases like malaria and provide treatment as people move back and forth across borders for work.

In countries like Ethiopia, Myanmar and Somaliland, where conflict, climate change and natural disasters have forced many people to leave their homes, businesses, possessions and communities, we have supported various initiatives – from providing shelter, food and basic provisions for families to helping internally displaced persons establish new livelihoods.

Pictured above: We work alongside communities affected by mass emigration in Guatemala

Through our work with communities in Guatemala we help to address some of the issues arising from emigration to the USA, including the effects of family estrangement and the loss of wage-earners.

Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe and Cambodia we’re contributing to research on the experiences of migrants with regard to mental health and gender-based violence.

Ultimately, migration is a much more complicated and universal phenomenon than right-wing politicians and pundits would have us believe. While we recognise that migration is an important part of the human experience, which often enriches our lives, we continue working with communities, health workers and activists globally to address some of the genuine social issues related to migration.

• £5 could cover the cost of fuel for health workers to visit remote border communities to provide healthcare

• £38 could pay for vegetable seeds and chickens so internally displaced families can produce nutritious food to eat and trade

• £100 could cover the cost of renting a warehouse to store emergency food supplies for internally displaced families for a month