In 2011 IOM Bratislava within the framework of the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme provided reintegration help in total amount of 35 783,79 € to 26 individuals or entire families from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Moldova, Serbia (Kosovo), Ukraine and Vietnam who applied for assisted voluntary return and reintegration grant. For example, targeted IOM aid helped to improve living conditions of a 50-year old client and his family, who have returned from Slovakia to their home village in Velesniv, Ukraine.

The married couple with two daughters has owned an old simple house there, but high maintenance costs and costs of energy complicated their life situation. IOM Bratislava decided to help them with their troubles and contributed to buying some building materials and new windows. With renovation and insulation of the house they have achieved the decrease of high energy consumption and their heating costs. The family from Velesniv has become a positive example for other migrants returning from Slovakia back to Ukraine and their interest in getting the reintegration assistance and support has increased. Growing number of successful reintegration stories in Ukraine was also noted.

The house of the Ukrainian family from Velesniv before the reconstruction and after outer insulation and windows replacement. Photo: Rudyk Bogdan

You can find more information about the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme (AVRR) on the website: www.avr.iom.sk.

(Personal names were published with their consent. / Names were changed for protection reasons.)

The Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme (AVRR) is funded by the European Union, Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows. Co-funded by the Ministry of the Interior of the SR.