Provision of Support to Sustainable return of IDPs and Refugees – IPA 2009

ASB started with the implementation of the EU-funded project under the Instrument for Preaccession – IPA 2009 – with the title „Provision of Sustainable return to IDPs and Refugees“ in February 2011. ASB, together with its project partner the Relief and Protection Committee (RPC) successfully completed the project in December 2012 after the 23-month implementation period.

The main aim of the project was to provide tailor-made support to families who have expressed their wish to re- turn to Kosovo and Metohija. During the course of project implementation, ASB closely cooperated with the Serbian Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija, which has become the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and has been the beneficiary institution of the action.

The project can be divided into two major components: a) outreach campaign which included Go and See visits to return areas, public campaigns and informative meetings and round tables; and b) Support to return through the provision of food items for a 6-month period, furniture and household appliances to the same families, business start-up trainings and purchase of grants as well as support through transportation to their homes.

Next to the direct support to the returning families, ASB emphasises the synergies which were created with several other projects, NGOs, donors and institutions on all levels in both Serbia and Kosovo. The implementation of the action was successful not only thanks to the ASB efforts, but also due to the close cooperation with institutions as the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, the Serbian Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, UNHCR, IOM, US BPRM and the Ministry for Communities and Return and the German Federal Foreign Office.

~139 returnee families in Kosovo were provided with durable solutions for living. This is a significant number which indicates the existing willingness for return to Kosovo and continuous need for assistance of the International Community to support returnee families.~

The synergies created with all these stakeholders led to additional support to the returnee families primarily through housing construction, reconstruction and legal aid. The total value of the implemented project was € 1,074,194.40 out of which € 1,000,000.00 was provided by the European Union and the remaining amount of € 74,194.40 by ASB.