ILO supported initiative receives recognition for service to returning migrants during Covid-19
The Republic of the Union of Myanmar National League of Volunteers presented Samaritan’s Purse Migrant Assistance Centre with a certificate of recognition for services to prevent Covid-19.
For several years, the ILO has supported the development of information and counselling services to Myanmar migrants prior to migration and on their return. These services have been delivered at Migrant Resource Centres (MRC) based in Labour Exchange Offices supported by the TRIANGLE In ASEAN project and at Migrant Assistance Centres (MAC) run by civil society organizations (CSOs) supported by the ILO Developing International and Internal Governance (DIILM) project.
When migrants started to return in large numbers to Myanmar in late March due to the loss of employment in the Covid-19 lockdown in Thailand, MRCs and MACs responded quickly to the situation, providing PPE to frontline service providers and care packages to returning migrants.
During the award giving ceremony in Kayin State, government officials noted that, Samaritan’s Purse acted swiftly to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and always provided good quality materials and responded to the requests of the Kayin State government in a timely manner.
In total, in the Covid-19 response, the MRCs and MACs supported by the ILO have reached 96,916 returning migrants and frontline service providers (41,871 women and 55,045 men) at border crossing entry points and in the quarantine facilities in the communities of origin of the migrants. Samaritan’s Purse, The Confederation of Trade Unions of Myanmar (CTUM);Mawk Kon Development Organisation; Northern Shan State Baptist Convention, Foundation for Education and Development and Future Light Centre run the MACS in Myawaddy; North Dagon; Tachilek, Kengtung; Lashio; Kawthaung, Three Pagoda Pass, Htee Kee; and Bago respectively. The Migrant Resource Centres are based in Dawei, Mandalay, Myingyan, Kyaukse, Meiktila and Taungyi.
“The ILO congratulates the Samaritan’s Purse on this recognition of their services and thanks all the MACs and MRCs for their commitment to ensuring the safety and dignity of returning migrants,” said Mr Donglin Li, Liaison officer, ILO Myanmar, ”The timely responses to the situation of returning migrants was made possible through the funding of the MACs, MRCs and Covid-19 related activities by the Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).”