COVID-19 Faces of Migration – Story of Maia (age 51), returnee from Greece

Maia is a mother of two. When she left for Greece in 2004, her children, who back then were 9 and 10 years old, stayed behind with grandparents. Initially, Maia’s plan was to work abroad for 2 years, but she ended up staying in Greece for 16 years. With the help of her sister, who was also working in Greece, Maia managed to find a job right away. She worked in bakeries, cafes, and cleaned private houses. She watched from distance her two kids grow up, get married and have children of their own. This made her life abroad especially difficult. But still, experience, which she gained in Greece, made her stronger. She helped other Georgians in need too – provided them with food and shelter. Maia is grateful to Greek people for opening their doors to her and giving her an opportunity to support her own family, which she had to leave behind only to be able to go back to them stronger than before. After spending so much time away from her family, Maia is happy to be back home. She returned home with IOM’s support and started cattle-breeding business. Maia is not planning to go back to Greece for work any time soon. She wants to spend as much time as possible with her family.

With little savings and sometimes no health insurance, migrant parents may be forced to continue working during the pandemic. COVID-19 appears to have so far entailed less severe infections for children than adults, with a higher number of children being asymptomatic or experiencing mild or moderate symptoms. However, the pandemic still has important negative impacts on children around the world, especially on those from populations in vulnerable situations, such as migrants and displaced persons.

With the increase in unemployment worldwide in sectors where migrants often work and a decrease in earnings due to the global recession, migrant parents may find themselves in precarious economic situations, unable to provide for the basic needs of their family. This may also be the case for parents who have migrated to work abroad leaving their children in the country of origin and who may not be able to support their family by sending remittances or may have to return to their country of origin because of unemployment. 

In various parts of the world IOM is assisting thousands of migrants who have been affected by movement restrictions and are unable to work or return home.
 

Photos by Eric Gourlan