Chisinau - On January 24, the Diaspora Relations Bureau of the Moldovan Government, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration in the Republic of Moldova, launched the joint call for applications under the 2024 edition of the Program “Diaspora Succeeds at Home” (DAR 1+3), which was established in 2020 to offer local public authorities tools to encourage and stimulate the implementation of local development projects, jointly with diaspora associations, local associations, initiative groups. 
 
For the first time, the components of social cohesion and climate change have been introduced in the DAR 1+3 programme. 
 
The first component aims at supporting the promotion of social inclusion, cohesion and peaceful coexistence between refugees and host communities, as well as recovery measures to overcome the socio-economic challenges caused by the current complex crises through local development projects in communities hosting refugees.  
 
The second sub-program aims to promote activities valorizing Moldovan diaspora’s contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation actions, a programme which was also mentioned by the IOM’s Director General, Amy Pope, during the COP 28 in Dubai, in December 2023. 
 
In support of the first sub-programme on social cohesion, IOM will offer matching grants of USD 8,300 to support each project that will be implemented in communities hosting refugees from Ukraine. Projects will focus on the development of social and business infrastructures at the community level that will contribute to employment, professional trainings, and the provision of Romanian language courses, as well as strengthening small businesses support services, and expanding social protection services that could benefit both Ukrainian refugees and members of the host community. 
 
To support local diaspora-supported efforts on climate change mitigation and adaptation, IOM Moldova will offer grants of USD 6,750 to support each project that will promote biodiversity conservation, clean energy, circular economy, climate-smart agriculture, disaster risk reduction, and green renovation. The grants aim to leverage the financial and human capital of Moldovan migrants, the diaspora, their family members, and migrants returned from abroad, to support the creation of scalable climate change mitigation or adaptation initiatives in Moldova.  
 
For now, 12 projects will be supported by IOM Moldova with an initial contribution of USD 100,000, with the generous financial support of the U.S. State Department's Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). 

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For more information, please contact: 

Ghenadie Cretu, Program Coordinator / Analyst - Migration & Development, gcretu@iom.int, IOM Moldova
Riccardo Severi, Communications and Public Information Officer, rseveri@iom.int, IOM Moldova