March 15 2017 –Migrants, originating from 23 localities Moldova contributed 2mln leifor development projects in their native localities.
The last three months were marked by the„For home with love”campaign organized by partner localities of the Migration and Local Development Project (MiDL). For the first time, ever, circa 10 percent of over 40,000 migrants originating from 23 localities, along with the locals, financially contributed to local development in a transparent andsafe way. This was possible due to the launch of the first crowdfunding platform dedicated to community projects – www.Guvern24.md. With MiDL support, the named platform was upgraded with a module dedicated exclusively to communities, easily to be used by all 898 mayoralties from the country, in cooperation with the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova.
“The results of this campaign are impressing. The extraordinary mobilization of the Diaspora once again confirmed that there is a potential that can and has to be exploited. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation is further looking to contribute to a favorable environment for making migration work for development, support creation of services and products for migrants and their families and finally, engage Diaspora in the development of the country”, said Radu Danii, Program Coordinator, Swiss Cooperation Bureau in Moldova.
To top-up migrants and locals’ contributions, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation awards grants to 23 localities, amounting to 20,000 USD. The prevailing domains of projects to be implemented jointly by mayoralties and migrantsare meant to improve the life of circa 200,000 people from localities. To that end, 23 villages and cities from Moldova, shall have better water supply, waste management, roads maintenance services, recreation and sport facilities, public street lighting and local economic development and other community complex services.
„Over 4,000 Moldovan citizens, residing in the country or abroad, contributed financially for concrete development projects in their native places, no matter the distance between them. Although, localities set a target sum, migrants, acknowledging the urgency of local problems, managed to contribute more, overachieving the target by 50 percent. This is one of the most viable solutions generated within the Migration and Local Development Project, looking to shorten the distances between people and change the migration dimension, from problem into opportunity for localities in the country”, declaredOlesea Cazacu, Manager of the Migration and Local Development Project.
„It is for the first time, when, as a local authority, we succeeded to involve migrants so close in solving our villageproblems. It is now, when we firstly felt the care and love of those who left. One thing is clear, people want to engage, and us, as local authorities must be transparent and create the necessary framework to engage every citizen in their native villagedevelopment”, says Victor Stână, mayorof Gura Galbenei (Cimişlia).
Every project was placed on the www.Guvern24.md platform, providing a narrative description and pictures. Moreover, natives could follow the progress of funds collection, at all stages. It is worth mentioning that all 23 projects, were identified and prioritized via online surveys, involving local population and migrants.
„We believe it is important that our natives are always aware about the situation in their locality and know about ongoing projects, no matter where they are. To that end, us, members of the Association of Natives from Ialoveni, in partnership with the mayoralty, look not just to inform, but to also regularly consult our natives on various issues of local importance”, saysTatiana Vrăjmaș, President of the Associations of Natives from Ialoveni
The money collected and donated shall be managed and spent by local authorities and Hometown Associations from five cities and eighteen villages, within the immediate next period. The estimative value of projects to be implemented amounts to775,000 USD.
The Migration and Local Development Project (MiDL) is implemented by the United Nations Development Program in Moldova (UNDP) with the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation in Moldova (SDC).
For additional information contact:Tatiana Solonari, Communication Officer, Migration and Local Development Project (MiDL), at tatiana.solonari@undp.org, tel: 022-820-840; 069377215.
