The migrants say they’re disappointed and angry they’ve been sold a lie.

Thousands of Ethiopian migrants are leaving their home country in the hopes of better opportunities abroad – namely Yemen. Now, many of them are back in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.

Ethiopian migrant Taieer Abdu said, “The smuggler told me that if I went to Saudi Arabia, I’d earn $270 a month. That was wrong. I have a wife and eight children who expect a lot from me. My wife would be upset because I’ve come back with nothing.”

In the southern Yemeni port city of Aden, up to 3,000 others have also registered for the U.N.’s voluntary return program. Pushed by war and poverty in the Horn of Africa, many chose Yemen because of its close location. They ultimately hoped to cross into wealthier, stable gulf countries in search of better living conditions. For now, that dream is over. But as they prepare to leave Aden, others are still arriving.

Another group’s journey started in Djibouti at the Horn of Africa. It took five hours over rough seas, as they endured appalling treatment at the hand of people traffickers.

According to Ethiopian migrant Nour Al-Diinyousuf Abdal says, “We came by ship. There were 20 of us. We were so frightened. The conditions on the boat were so terrible. The people smugglers took away four of our women. The problem is, I badly need to find work.”

Four years of war has pushed Yemen, which was already one of the poorest Arab states, to the brink of famine. Despite this, the U.S. estimates more than 12,000 people take the dangerous sea journey from the Horn of Africa to Yemen every month. Once they arrive, they’re often kept in poor conditions in detention centers and face systematic deportation. However, the socio-economic situation is so bad in their home countries that many remain undeterred by the risks.

Ethiopian migrant Hatheer says, “We know about the war, but our problems at home forced us to leave. We’ve tried to bypass areas where there is fighting. We’ve not been harmed and so far we’ve been able to move about freely.”

Most Ethiopians who arrive in Aden stay in a suburb called Al Qahira. Facilities are basic.

Ethiopian migrant Ahmed Said, who makes money washing cars, says, “The problems in my country resemble those in Yemen. If my country was safe, I would’ve stayed there. There is work in my country but the wages are low.”

Migrants returning to Addis Ababa say they’re relieved to be home. They’re also worried about the future, aware that many of the problems that drove them to leave Ethiopia in the first place still exist.