Mr. Vitalie left Southeast Moldova in order to search for work in Slovakia. Southeast Moldova is industrially one of the least developed and poorest countries in Europe. He lived in Slovakia for two months illegally. He could not find any work and decided to return home with the assistance of International Organization for Migration (IOM). After his return IOM provided him with support which helped him to expand his family’s farm specialised in growing fruit trees seedlings. He sells cherry pear and apple seedlings in the marketplace in Chisinau. The assistance provided by IOM allowed Vitalie and his family to gain an important source of income and a life with dignity. “I am satisfied with provided help. I do not want to go back abroad and I recommend anyone who is illegally in Europe to return through IOM,” says Vitalie.

Watch the short documentary film on Vitalie and IOM assistance:

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

You can find more true stories of migrants who returned home from Slovakia with the help of IOM under the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme on the website www.avr.iom.sk.

Voluntary Return and Reintegration in Country of Origin (Individual Project). The project is co-financed by the European Union under the European Return Fund and the Ministry of Interior SR. Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows.