Pupils holding up signs which say that they join rarduja

HOW IT ALL BEGINS

RARDUJA International started as an initiative from Eddy Duru on the 10th of April, 1999 as Green Foundation.

After arriving Germany in 1996 as a migrant, he saw and experienced what it was like to live in Europe without proper planning. In these few years, he received several calls from Nigerian youths who asked him to help them get to Europe. He advised many of them over the phone and encouraged them to stay focused on whatever they were doing. Adding that one has to plan very well before coming to Europe. Eddy Duru saw the frustration, disappointments, failed dreams and confusion that engulfed many Africans in Europe. For many Africans, the Mission to Europe was Misunderstood.

Our mission and vision are, therefore, to reduce the death toll of Africans in the desert and on the Mediterranean Sea and also to change the old age mentality that one can only be successful in life if one travels to Europe or America.

Overcrowded boat on the sea
Suffering people lying on the beach

In April 2000 Eddy Duru travelled to Nigeria and called the young people from his community to a town hall meeting to give them the first seminar/re-education about unplanned trips abroad / illegal migration. In that meeting which was well attended by the youths, Eddy Duru met men and women who found truth in the vision of RARDUJA and were very excited about the truth. Hence the formation of RARDUJA in Nigeria.

The purpose of each journey must be defined because when the purpose is not known, abuse becomes inevitable. RARDUJA e. V. Germany was later founded in Germany in 2010. The association was founded in accordance with German association law but was only registered with the Kassel Court Registry in 2017 under the registration number VR 5381.
In 2011 RARDUJA team was invited to one of the most important religious organizations by the Nigerian Catholic priests in Germany where RARDUJA leader spoke on issues bothering on migration especially unplanned Journey by Africans. The organization and the Priests meet once a year in Germany. It would be very important for us that the church also spreads this message as most young Africans believe that they can only be successful in life if the travelled to Europe or America. See: http://www.emm-duru.com/Press_art_1.html.

Overcrowded boat with refugees capsizes

RARDUJA is also a registered organization in Nigeria under the CAC register number 86344. The president and founder of the organization is a Nigerian who lives and is nationalized in Germany. RARDUJA is an experienced organization in the field of migration and education. RARDUJA is determined to change the erroneous mindset of most Africans who believe that Europe is a paradise where the money falls from the tree. Through many years of field work and experience from our visitation to schools, religious homes, communities, through our books and media, RARDUJA has become an important partner to the African Education system especially Nigeria where RARDUJA has done more work.

Thus RARDUJA e. V. is also working with the Nigerian government through her federal agencies especially NAPTIP and NOA. NAPTIP Nigeria is a federal agency in the fight against illegal migration and smuggling, and human trafficking. Since 2012, NAPTIP has given RARDUJA a column in their NAPTIP News Magazine, where we constantly report and warn Africans especially Nigerians about illegal migration to Europe. NAPTIP Nigeria and the National Orientation Agent are always in cooperation with RARDUJA. The association has been committed to this area for years. RARDUJA International is one of the leading NGOs in Nigeria on migration issues.(See RARDUJA). RARDUJA e. V. supports voluntary returnees and empowers the youths also by offering them workshops to discover their potentials. She encourages skill acquisitions and also provides credit for some young start-ups in Nigeria. In 2018, Eddy Duru, the Founder and President of RARDUJA International was decorated as the Chief Ambassador of NAPTIP NIGERIA RARDUJA by the Director-General of NAPTIP in Abuja Nigeria (SEE MORE). In 2015, RARDUJA founder became an elected member of Foreigners Council in Hessen State of Germany where he represents foreigners. In 2018, Duru was appointed as a refugee Commissioner in Kassel Germany. These were all service to humanity and added experience to improve and also better RARDUJA work.

Body buried by sand in the desert
Refugees close together in life jackets

RARDUJA Team members have many years of experience in project work, integration and refugee work. Team members include: school teachers, lecturers, ambassadors, journalists, human rights lawyers, Pastors, Priests, UN Ex Aids Corp Volunteer Mission workers, trained motivational speakers and more.

Books written by RARDUJA president include:

  1. Europe A Mission Misunderstood 2010
  2. Fundamentals of Trafficking in Persons

Some of RARDUJA Partners& Institutions worked with includes:

  1. German Foreign Office Berlin
  2. University of Konstanz Germany
  3. University of Saarland
  4. Nigeria Universities
  5. UBEC Nigeria
  6. Nigeria Fed. Min. of Education Nigeria
  7. NAPTIP Nigeria
  8. NACTAL Nigeria
  9. NOA Nigeria
  10. ARD TV Germany
  11. TANG Germany
  12. NIDOE Europe
  13. BEN TV London
  14. Several Nigeria Universities
  15. SWA Nursing
  16. Star Film Maker – CWE-  AY SHOW
  17. Star comedian I GO DYE
  18. Star comedian FUNKE aka Jennifer Diary
  19. NTA Nigeria
  20. Channels TV Nigeria
  21. Orient TV Owerri Nigeria
  22. HNA Hessen Germany
  23. African Heritage Germany
  24. African Tide Germany
  25. Nigeria National News Papers
  26. WIR Hessen Germany
  27. Center for International Migration (CIM) Germany
  28. Center for Global Migration Studies (CeMig) University of Gottingen Germany
  29. Black & White initiative Germany
  30. Foreigner’s Council Kassel Germany
  31. SCHMITZ STIFTUNGEN Germany
  32. Green Communication and More Kassel Germany
  33. Prince E. E. Duruh – Nigeria
  34. Sea-Eye Germany and others