Christian Brice, aged 26, returned to Cameroon with the support of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) as part of its Protection, Return and Reintegration Programme for Migrants in Sub-Saharan Africa, funded by the European Union.
Leaving for Tunisia on 9 November 2019 to study, Christian Brice was counting on the financial support of his cousin, who was living in France, who had guaranteed to pay for his stay and studies, and to help him get to France afterwards. Unfortunately, as soon as he arrived in Tunisia, he realised that these were false promises.
Christian had to face alone the reality of a country he didn’t know, without resources or reference points, during a health crisis linked to COVID-19. Despite the difficulties he encountered, he chose to roll up his sleeves and get by. Living with ‘friends’ he met on the spot, he worked on building sites to support himself. In this way, he adapted to his daily life until 2022, when Christian Brice was attacked, beaten, and disfigured during a violent altercation with a group of young people.
Following this misadventure, Christian Brice decided to return to Cameroon. He went to the IOM Mission in Tunisia, in Tunis, to register for protection, return and reintegration assistance. Once registered, Christian was taken care of by IOM Tunisia, which ensured his dignified return to Cameroon on 25 August 2023.
As soon as he arrived, the IOM Mission in Cameroon took over. He was initially given 65,000 CFA francs (pocket money) to cover his priority needs, such as the reinstatement of his legal identity documents and the purchase of a mobile phone and a microchip, all of which are necessary for his reintegration process to run smoothly.
While his reintegration procedure was underway, enabling him to benefit from support to create an income-generating activity, Christian Brice, courageous and determined, found his first job on his own as Sales Assistant for an eyewear company, while continuing his studies in Economics at the University of Yaoundé 2.
In February 2024, with the support of IOM Cameroon, Christian Brice joined A&C International to complete an internship as Personal Assistant to the General Manager. It’s a position that has given him renewed confidence in his future. He hopes to develop essential skills in business administration and management so that, in the long term, he can set up his own company in the field of data analysis.
Christian Brice’s recruitment by the international firm A&C is fully in line with IOM Strategic Plan 2024-2028, which aims, among other things, to mobilise the private sector in support of migrants. In this document, the Vision of IOM Director General Amy Pope recommends being flexible and dynamic, but also diversifying the sources of aid to beneficiaries. In this respect, the private sector is now a key partner in the implementation of the Organisation’s mandate.
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For more information, please contact:
Florence Laure GAMGO, Senior Operations Assistant, IOM Cameroon, Tel: 677550155, Email: fgamgo@iom.int
Pascale ESSAMA, Senior Communication Assistant, IOM Cameroon, Tel: 657103074, Email: pessama@iom.int
