Tragedy of Rural Youth Out-Migration and Its Socio-Economic Consequences in Lemo Woreda of Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Out-migration affects the socio- economic situation of the youths, families and people at large in a country. However, rural youth out-migration in Ethiopia in general and Hadiya Zone specifically has become more common business. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the causes and consequences of youth out-migration from Lemo woreda of Hadiya zone in Southern Ethiopia to South Africa. Primary and secondary sources of data were used. Primary information collected from returnees and families of migrants through interview schedule, FGDs and KI guidelines. 100 respondents were selected for survey questionnaire by purposive sampling technique. Descriptive statistical method is employed to analyze quantitative data by using SPSS whereas the qualitative data was analyzed using description. The result of the study reported that in Lemo woreda out migration is dominated by young aged 23-29. The largest proportion of youth migrants have faced imprisonment, hunger and social crises, vulnerability to disease, and loss of life during traveling to South Africa, Dependency on remittance, low educational achievement, loss of life, and shortage of labor force in the origin are among the problems due to migration. Based on these findings recommendations are given to concerned bodies to give due attention to help youths to study and create better job opportunities in their origin.

Keywords: Ethiopia, Youth, out-migration, returnees

DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-17-02

Publication date:September 30^th 2020