ABSTRACT
The problem of returning migrants is no less complex than the problems of emigrant workers. Their issues are not given enough attention due to the assumption that they have enough capital (economic and social) to rebuild their lives in the village. This chapter discusses empowerment activities initiated by returning migrant workers in the village of Kuripan, Wonosobo, Central Java, Indonesia, which one of the many migrant enclaves in Indonesia. This chapter explores the agents and actors involved in the empowerment of migrant workers and what obstacles they face and how they solve and survive in their daily lives. Using several methods, like observation, interviews, and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), we also analysed various efforts by civil society to encourage the village government to enter the “migration” element in village law and allocate village funds to empower prospective migrant and migrant returnees.
