IOM, Migrants in Vulnerable Situations Dakar – A study conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on the impact of indebtedness on returnee migrants in six West African countries reveals that 68 per cent are in debt, while over two-thirds characterize either the shame or burden of their indebtedness as a hindrance to their reintegration in their home communities. As migration becomes increasingly hazardous and costly, many migrants take out loans and incur debt from relatives and friends to finance their journey. On a personal level –social and psychological– many of those surveyed cited feelings of anxiety, failure, social isolation and fear of not being able to repay their obligations.