Locations
Local authorities and migrants from 13 localities joined their efforts to implement four innovative inter-municipal projects. The Swiss Government provides grants for local sustainable development by involving the natives residing abroad. The grants are awarded within the Migration and Local Development Project (MiDL) implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in Moldova.
“These are truly novel projects necessary for people. It is an innovative model where several localities identify a local challenge and join their efforts to address it, including with the support of migrants”, declared Radu Danii, Programme Coordinator of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Moldova, during the event of grant checks awarding held on 8 June in Dolna, Straseni District.
The four inter-community cooperation projects were selected on a competitive basis, within a call for proposal, where 17 groups of localities having the project partner localities as leaders, submitted their applications.
One of the awarded initiatives is “Dor de Codru” touristic route development in Cioresti, Micleuseni and Dolna localities.
“The localities situated in Codri area have favorable health conditions, beautiful places and popular local crafts artists, all together true touristic attractions. This touristic route will enable people from these three localities to capitalize on their key occupations and beautiful things they have around. It is a way to develop the community and ensure stable and sustainable income sources,” said Valeriu Guțu, mayor of Cioresti.
Another project envisages the creation of a volunteer based inter-municipal fire service, which will cover Branza, Vadul lui Isac and Colibasi localities.
“The three villages are located in the centre of the Cahul-Giurgiulesti national route. In case of fire outbreak, it usually takes 30 minutes to Cahul teams to arrive after the call is logged, a very precious time in such critical situations. Such a service at local level allows volunteers to intervene promptly in all three localities, whenever the need occurs,” said Victoria Matveev, migration focal point, Colibasi Town Hall.
Residents of Carpineni, Mingir and Negrea will have a modern waste management system, and the vulnerable old people from Copceac, Cairaclia, Novosiolovca and Aluatu from ATU Gagauzia and Taraclia will have a well-equipped placement center.
Each of the four groups of localities will benefit from grants of USD 50,000 awarded by the Swiss Government. Additionally, local authorities will allocate USD 106.5 thousand, and the natives residing abroad from 13 localities will contribute with USD 15.2 thousand. Hence, four projects with a total budget of USD 589.6 thousand will be implemented by the end of this year.
Besides local development, these initiatives contribute to a better cohesion between natives residing abroad, local authorities and the local population.
“People who left these localities have a great potential to support their native villages and towns via know-how, expertise and financial contributions. Until recently, 38 MiDL partner localities implemented 50 local development projects with the support of migrants. It is a viable model that proves that migration can be a vector of positive changes, given that migrants and local authorities decided to join their efforts for local causes,” noted Andrei Darie, Programme Specialist at UNDP Moldova.
The Migration and Local Development Project is implemented in 38 localities from Moldova, that were selected on competitive basis.
