Scoreboard

Strengthening the Link between Migration and Development: Testing an Integrated Service Provider to Moldovan Migrants and their Communities

Theme: Diaspora consolidation and co-development
Time-frame: From: 15 December 2012 To: December 2015
Geographic scope: Republic of Moldova
Objectives: Overall Objective: To foster links between migration and development at the local level, by developing durable capacities and systematic collaboration among national and sub-national authorities, civil society and private-sector stakeholders.
Indicators/Outcomes: By connecting key partners and stakeholders for the express purpose of engaging with beneficiaries in a holistic manner – from pre-departure through to return and reintegration – and thereby helping those beneficiaries to migrate smarter and return better, the project provides clear benefits to partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries alike. In a practical and hands-on way
NEXUS Moldova works with the target groups at the local level to encourage the contribution of diasporas to the development of their community of origin and increasing the value of migrants' return. At the same time and in the same manner it acts to mitigate negative socio-economic developments, in both immediate and long-term.
Main activities: Project activities are grouped in two distinct but mutually reinforcing areas and then organised along systematic, phased and chronological work packages and activities.
Activity Area 1: Capacity-building - directly impacts both policy and technical level capacities of the partners at national and local levels; specifically through its insistence on having service providers engage in a meaningful and holistic manner with a range of beneficiary groups. The distinctive strategy of promoting “evidence-based migrant-centric perspectives” and coordinated (public, private, civil society) interaction with beneficiaries at the local level impacts a number of areas simultaneously: policy development on migration management, reinforcement of links between migration and development, national and local level collaboration, and public, private and civil society collaboration. All these are stimulated and significantly enhanced in an innovative, flexible, responsive and durable context.
Targeted plans of action (PoAs) and capacity building activities at national level and in four pilot areas (namely the rayon and municipalities of Cahul, Edinet, Ungheni and Chisinau) are to be based on a multi-step process of inclusive and evidence-based “research, recommend, review”. Execution of the PoAs, combined with ongoing expert support and technical assistance where necessary, aims to lead directly to improved legislation and policy coherence, inter-ministerial collaboration, and improved standards of service delivery.
These outputs, combined with the market-driven NEXUS Moldova platform, enhance the ability of the partners at national and local levels to develop and deliver high impact and practical outreach to the beneficiaries, both in Moldova and abroad. Incorporating private sector, local authority and civil society perspectives and services significantly increases the attractiveness of
the portfolio as a whole and hence strengthens the impact and durability of the project. Likewise, incorporating the structured representation of migrants and migrant groups, as well as local businesses, is in the interest of local authorities and reinforces the durability of the impacts.
Activity Area 2: Developing, Testing and Adapting - involves combining shop-fronts in the four pilot areas and an online service centre. The online portal provides migrants/diaspora the products-services they need with an intuitive and user-friendly interface. From the migrants’ perspective it combines social media and social commerce capabilities, and thus provides them a single location to join, engage in self-help activities, and participate in building community. The network of four shop-fronts provides migrants/diaspora a total solution and serves to develop a high level of trust in NEXUS Moldova. Here beneficiaries can receive NEXUS face-to-face counselling and migration-related information, including access to the online service centre.
Beneficiaries: Potential migrants, current migrants, returning migrants,public sector,private sector product and service providers
Project partners (implementing institution): International Agency for Source Country Information (IASCI)
Contact person: Nicolaas de Zwager, nicolaas.dezwager@iasci.info
Funding source, budget: European Union in the context of the “Thematic Programme of cooperation with third countries in the areas of Migration and Asylum” and co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Buget: 2500000 €