YAIM - Youth Against Irregulated Migration

Describe the history, purpose, and primary activities of the organization: Youth Against Irregular Migration (YAIM) was set up by Gambians while in detention in Libya after taking the Backway. En-route they experienced first-hand many human rights abuses and economic exploitation, inspiring them to establish an organization that aims to dissuade people from embarking on such life-threatening journeys. Awareness-raising campaigns generally have limited success as they are perceived of as inaccurate, biased Western propaganda or poorly informed. YAIM’s awareness raising counteracts these assumptions, however, since the imparters of the information are people that have made the journey and face the same issues that the average person in The Gambia faces. People only trust information if they share a relationship or trust the transmitters and YAIM members not being part of the elite reinforces that trust. Also, YAIM can contribute to creating a more sustainable return process by providing guidance and information. YAIM members have travelled to Libya with the hope of crossing to Europe through the Mediterranean in search of jobs, but now they are back because that dream has not been achieved. While urging the government to provide job opportunities for Gambian youth to prevent them from endangering their lives looking for greener pastures abroad. Youth Against Irregular migration (YAIM) has partnered with the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners working to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration, to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people.