Marisa moved to Ireland in 2008 and lived there for one year. After a few months of looking for a job, Marisa discovered that she was unexpectedly pregnant. With no job, Marisa decided it was best for her to return to Brazil to be with her family.
Marisa found IOM online and visited the office in Dublin to discuss her options. “I was pregnant, unemployed, going through very dire straits, and without money for travel. IOM assisted me with the cost of returning.” After consulting with a doctor who approved her to fly, Marisa returned to her family in Brazil.
After returning, Marisa lived with her family while she readjusted to live in Brazil. “When you come back from abroad, without what you looked for there, you are at a loss.” She applied for the reintegration grant and used the funds to build a beauty parlour at home. The profit from the beauty parlour was not enough to support her family, so Marisa also began working as a secretary.
Marisa spoke with IOM staff six months after she returned. “I want to find a way to sustain myself independently. I would like to take training courses in English and Spanish at a good learning institution so as to give classes.”
“My advice is that everyone should analyse their own situation and see clearly what is best for their own lives. IOM helped me at a critical moment in my life, and I thank them very much for this.”
