© IOM When Moise had the opportunity to go abroad and start a professional football career, he immediately decided to take it. But disappointment awaited him. When returning home gives you a chance to start over: how the dream of football turned into a test Refugees and migrants
From childhood, Moise’s life was inextricably linked with football. He grew up in Cameroon, where gaming filled his free time and gave him hope for the future. Already at the age of five, he spent every free minute on the field and was sure that one day he would become a professional football player.
As the eldest child in the family, Moise felt a special responsibility, because success on the football field meant something more to him than the fulfillment of his own dreams: he wanted to support his family and justify their faith in him.
Therefore, when the opportunity arose to go abroad and start a professional career, Moise decided that he had finally got the chance that he had been striving for for a long time years.
“My family believed in me,” he says. “My family thought this was my chance to build a better future.”
A football agent convinced Moise to go to Georgia, promising to help him get into a professional club. His family supported his decision, because those close to him believed that this trip would open up new opportunities for him.
No contract, no club
However, soon after arriving in Tbilisi, his hopes were dashed. There was no contract, not a single club was waiting for him. The agent who organized the trip stopped communicating and then disappeared completely. Moiz was left alone in a foreign country, not knowing where to turn and what to do next.
“At first I thought there was some kind of misunderstanding,” the young man recalls. “I kept telling myself that maybe something just happened and it would all start the next day.”
But that day never came. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. Gradually Moiz realized that he had been deceived. “It was very difficult,” he says. “Yesterday you were full of hope, but today you understand that the opportunity for which you came simply does not exist.”
Football as a support
Thus began years of uncertainty. Without legal status, permanent work and support, it became increasingly difficult for him to stay in Georgia. But one thing remained the same: his mainstay was still football.
“Every morning I get up early, go for a run, cook food and train twice a day,” he says. “Working out helps me focus and reminds me not to give up.”
© IOM Moiz continued to train every day.
The usual routine gave Moise a feeling of stability. However, football alone was not enough to overcome all the difficulties. Without a clear understanding of what to do next, it became increasingly difficult to stay in Georgia.
Difficult decision
In the end, Moiz decided to return home. He found support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
“This decision was not easy for me, but I want to see my family again and start my life again,” he says.
Help in returning
Moise’s story reflects a reality that many migrants face: once they arrive abroad, their plans are ruined. Promises made before leaving sometimes never materialize, leaving people stranded far from home.
In such a situation, returning may be the safest option—even if it means giving up a lifelong dream.
Through the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (VARR) program, IOM helps those who choose to return home do so voluntarily and in a safe environment, and supports them in reintegration upon return.
© IOM The International Organization for Migration will help Moiz return home.
Moiz is one of dozens of migrants who turned to IOM Georgia for help after they found themselves stranded far from home. From January to April 2026, the Organization helped 56 migrants voluntarily return to 20 countries. Among them were 17 women and 10 children under 18 years of age. Behind each of these numbers is a person whose journey was full of hope and difficult decisions.
A chance to start over
For Moise, returning home does not mean giving up his dream of football. “I still want to play. I don’t know yet how everything will turn out, but I still believe that my dream is alive,” he says.
However, before thinking about football again, Moise wants to be with his family. “They know about everything that happened to me,” says the young man. “Now I just want to return home, be with my family and decide what to do next.” MOM.