Aurélie's Administrative Training

Aurélie lived in Ireland with her two children for several years, until 2009. She had been denied a work visa but supported the family by working odd jobs in Dublin. Aurélie worried because their lives were financially unstable, and she did not want her children to continue to be irregular migrants in Ireland. She knew it would be best for the family to return to Mauritius but did not know how she could afford the travel expenses.

A good friend told Aurélie that IOM could help her to organise her travel documents and purchase plane tickets. When she met with IOM in Dublin, she also learned that she could apply for reintegration assistance to pay for training in a new profession. Aurélie decided to pursue a course that would teach her secretarial skills, hoping that she would be able to find a permanent job in a hotel or office.

Aurélie was able to pay for her entire year of school fees with the reintegration grant. Halfway through her program, she was optimistic about her course choice. She found it enriching to learn essential computer services, which she knew would enable her to work in a front office. When Aurélie finishes the course, she hopes to gain employment as a secretary or receptionist. She is confident that she will be able to support her children in the future.