People migrating around our global neighbourhood has generated tremendous opportunities in previous decades, building bridges between cultures like never before. This has created a demand to understand what influences the people who migrate to take important decisions before, during and after their journeys. At Seefar, we have a unique advantage that comes from deeply understanding the migrant’s perspective. The majority of our team live in countries of origin, and along migration routes. We also use specialist tools to understand migration dynamics, and to expand our mission to create opportunities for vulnerable people. 

Our communications strategy is distinguished by our unique 3E-impact method. This is a two-way communicative approach with individuals to increase knowledge and shift attitudes, changing behaviours away from risks and towards opportunities. Unlike most migration communications methods, this approach prioritises and measures sustainable behavioural change. Donors come to us because they know that our communications campaigns make a tangible difference. 

Our research and survey methods are focused on discovering how individuals make decisions about migration and how they understand their constraints and opportunities. This ranges from an interest in the smuggler-migrant relationship to the perceptions that arise between undocumented migrants and the surrounding community. With these insights, we aim to magnify the positive impacts of migration and mitigate the downside for migrants, their families and the destination communities they settle in. We also provide consulting services on border management and on immigrant and refugee integration, sharing important insights gathered with those who have the power to make a difference. 

Here are some examples of how we deploy our expertise in relation to migration across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia:

• Predictive modelling of migration patterns, based on statistical analysis and in-depth qualitative research
• Strategic communications to protect migrants from exploitation and to promote integration, such as “The Migrant Project”, which empowers migrants to make safer and more informed decisions
• Cutting edge research on impacts of COVID-19 on migrant vulnerabilities, and COVID-19 behavioural change campaigns, such as our campaign to empower Eritrean and Somali refugees in Ethiopia to take measures to protect themselves
• Programme design for donors to address the links between migration and developmentConsulting on migrant labour recruitment systems, such as The Ethical Recruitment Agency, which helps people benefit from migration while staying safe from exploitation 
• Large-scale, mixed-methods survey and research projects to understand migrant intentions and experiences, such as our study of irregular Iranian migrant integration in Europe 
• Piloting new methods to improve outcomes for vulnerable people interested in migration, such as Seefar’s LIFT India programme which employs an innovative approach to traditional livelihood projects