Reintegration assistance to a migrant family from Ukraine

In 2011, within the Assisted Voluntary Returns and Reintegrations Programme (AVRR), IOM Bratislava provided reintegration assistance in the amount of EUR 35,783.79 to a total of 26 individuals or entire families from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Moldova, Serbia (Kosovo), Ukraine and Vietnam, who opted for the assisted voluntary return and applied for the reintegration grant. The direct and targeted IOM assistance for instance helped to improve living conditions of a 50-year old Ukrainian client and his family, who together with his wife decided to return from Slovakia to their home village of Velesniv in Ukraine.

This couple and their two daughters owned an older family house, however high utilities and maintenance costs significantly complicated the family’s life situation. IOM Bratislava provided them material assistance – reimbursed the purchase of new windows and construction material necessary for inevitable house repairs. The client performed all reconstruction and insulation works himself. The repairs significantly decreased energy consumption and heating costs of the house. Successful reintegration assistance became a positive example for other migrants returning from Slovakia to Ukraine as well. This resulted in an increased interest of returnees in assistance and number of successfully implemented reintegration assistances in this area.

The house of a Ukrainian family in the village of Velesniv before reconstruction and after insulation and changing windows.

More detailed information about the AVRR Programme and other reintegration examples may be found on the website www.avr.iom.sk.

(Names of the persons have been published with their consent. / Names of the persons have been altered to protect their identity.)