Integrating the LeMengede Application into Ethiopia’s Migration Preparedness Framework

Between 11–12 November and 15–16 December 2025, the Ministry of Labour and Skills (MoLS), through the Ethiopian Labour Market Information System (E – LMIS) unit, in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), under the UK FCDO-funded Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) Programme, conducted two consecutive Training of Trainers (ToT) workshops in Adama, Ethiopia. The workshops aimed to strengthen the implementation of the LeMengede mobile application by equipping TVET trainers, LMIS experts, and key stakeholders with the technical and practical capacity to integrate the application into pre-departure training and migration awareness initiatives.

Ethiopia remains a significant country of origin for migrant workers, particularly women migrating for domestic work in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Despite ongoing reforms, migrant workers continue to face information gaps, risks of exploitation, and limited access to complaint mechanisms. The LeMengede mobile application, developed jointly by the MoLS and the ILO BRMM Programme, was introduced as a digital tool to support safe, regular, and informed migration. The application provides multilingual information on labour migration, access to complaint mechanisms, and an SOS feature linked to the Ethiopian Labour Market Information System (E-LMIS).

Across both training rounds, 102 participants took part, including representatives from TVET colleges in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Gambela, Harari, Oromia, Sidama, Southwest Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia and South Ethiopia, as well as representatives from financial institutions, returned migrant workers, and officials from the Ministry of Labour and Skills. The training followed a structured modular approach covering labour migration governance, communication and advocacy strategies, practical navigation of the application, safe and fair recruitment principles, gender-responsive migration, and financial inclusion. Sessions combined technical presentations, live demonstrations, hands-on practice, group exercises, and peer learning. Both rounds placed strong emphasis on applied learning and strategies for cascading the training within TVET institutions.

Testimonies from returned migrant workers and presentations by financial institutions further enriched the discussions, highlighting the practical realities of migration and the importance of financial literacy and protection. Participants also developed concrete plans to integrate the LeMengede application, fair recruitment principles, and migration preparedness modules into existing vocational training and pre-departure programmes.

Moving forward, efforts will focus on cascading the training at institutional and community levels. The Ministry of Labour and Skills, through the E-LMIS Unit, will continue providing technical guidance, while the ILO BRMM Programme will support coordination and follow up to ensure that the LeMengede application remains aligned with national labour migration governance systems and effectively supports migrant workers throughout the migration cycle.