Abstract:
This study was conducted in Shone administrative town, in Hadiya Zone of Southern Nations
Nationalities and Peoples Region. The primary aim of this study was to examine socio
economic and cultural factors contributing for irregular migration to RSA. So, to attain the
intended objectives, both qualitative and quantitative method of data collection was used.
Quantitative data was collected from 141, registered returnee in Shone administrative town.
Furthermore, data was collected qualitatively through in-depth interview from government
official‟s returnee and migrants‟ household heads and FGD held with religious leaders and
elders in the study community. In-depth interview was held on 12 informants and 18
discussants were participated in FGD, So as to supplement the data collected through
quantitative methods. A total of 171 respondents participated in this study. The collected data
were analyzed by SPSS version 20 which is presented by using frequency and percentages.
Were as, qualitative data obtained from in depth interview and FGD analyzed through careful
interpretation and content analysis. The findings of the study indicated that socio-economic
factors like: - failure to succeed in educational endeavors, low profit in trade at place of
origin, low level of income at place of origin, engaging in low wage occupation at place of
origin and income inequality created by remittances at a place of origin were identified as
socio economic factors motivate youth migration to RSA. Furthermore, the findings of this
study identified social network between migrants, the social value attached to migration to
RSA, the role of religion migrants affiliated and surrounding communities on individual
decision to migrate as a socio cultural factors which drive youth to migrate illegally to RSA.
Based on the research findings, conclusion and recommendations were mentioned that would
help to minimize the existing factors which motivate people to migrate illegal
