Dominicans continue to benefit from post-Maria work of IOM

Dominica News Online – Monday, January 7th, 2019

Dominicans continue to benefit from the work of The International Organization for Migration (IOM), which has been assisting with the recovery and reconstruction of the island after the destructive passage of hurricane Maria in September, 2017.

Many people around Dominica were affected and had to be transported to shelters because their homes were destroyed due to hurricane Maria.

The IOM built 80 core houses for internally displaced people around the Island, through their early shelter recovery program funded by Australia Aid and Habitat for Humanity.

IOM is now implementing a new project to undertake repairs to 12 emergency shelters, with funding from USAID. This project, to improve emergency preparedness through emergency shelter, also includes a survey to determine the number and status of people still living in emergency shelters.  The survey has found close to 300 people still living in 25 shelters across the island.

HAM radios will also be procured and training provided in collaboration with the Dominica Amateur Radio Club Inc (DARCI). Training will be provided to shelter managers and other community members interested in learning about shelter management principles and to make the communities more prepared for potential emergencies.

IOM, in coordination with the Youth Development Division, Dominica Youth Business Trust (DYBT) and the Ministry of Commerce Small Business and Enterprise Development, has received funding from the IOM Development Fund to establish a small-scale business development/support centre in the city of Roseau. The main objective of the program is to build the capacity of the government, through the DYBT, to provide training and financial support to young entrepreneurs; setting the foundation for increased business success, job creation, and reduced outward migration.

At the request of the Government of Dominica and the Caribbean Development Bank, IOM Dominica will conduct a 2-month research to determine the number of people, and particularly children, who migrated out of Dominica after Hurricane Maria.

The IOM, according to the organization’s website, works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration; to promote international cooperation on migration issues; to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people.