Returned Migrants' Debts and their Impacts on Reintegration in The Gambia

Most migrants who return to the Gambia are indebted. Loans are contracted either in the context of migrating, or to cover personal and professional expenses. They create financial and social constraints which shape the returnees’ ability to participate actively in the social and economic life of their country of origin. Understanding the mechanisms of indebtment and its impacts on reintegration is at the heart of this study. In order to identify the specific challenges faced by indebted migrants, a mixed-method approach was developed through 410 individual questionnaires, 11 key informant interviews, and 1 exploratory focus group, all in the West Coast and Banjul regions.