Community Committees: Support Begins with People

Implemented by Prague 5 Municipal District and People in Need, with the support of the European Union, the project aims to strengthen the integration of refugees and migrants through more accessible public services, stronger institutional cooperation, and the active engagement of local communities.

Currently, four Community Committees are active in Chișinău, Bălți, and Cahul, bringing together 40 members who participate in thematic sessions focused on access to services, rights, protection, and community integration for refugees and migrants.. These meetings create a space where participants build knowledge, exchange experiences, and explore solutions to everyday challenges.

For Svetlana, a participant in one of the committees, involvement quickly became more than a volunteering opportunity.

“I came to Chișinău in 2023 with my daughter. She started school here. Moldova has become our second home.”

Participating in the sessions organized by People in Need gave her not only useful information, but also the feeling that she could contribute to the well-being of others.

“When we moved here, I had a lot of free time and saw an opportunity to take part in social initiatives. This has been very useful both for me and for the people around me, whom I can now support with advice or even by sharing a phone number they can call for help.”

This approach — where community members themselves become sources of information and support — is one of the core elements of the initiative.

“We support civil society organizations, facilitate access to information for refugees and migrants living here, and aim to contribute to improving migration management in Moldova,”

explains Meric Balkanli, Programme Manager for Inclusion and Social Protection at People in Need Moldova.

The first ten sessions provide participants with information on safety, human rights, protection mechanisms, and services available in Moldova. In the next stage, committee members will organize information sessions within their own communities, helping extend access to practical information for others facing similar circumstances.

Cooperation with public institutions is an essential part of this process. Specialists from different sectors contribute to thematic sessions, offering practical guidance and clarifying how existing services can be accessed.

During a session dedicated to healthcare services, Ala Preguza, Senior Consultant at the Ministry of Health, spoke with participants about navigating the healthcare system and accessing relevant resources.

“People in Need acts as a bridge between public institutions and people — both citizens of the Republic of Moldova and those coming from other countries. It is a productive collaboration,”

she noted.

For Elena, a member of one of the Community Committees, this session offered information with immediate relevance to her daily life.

“Today I learned something very important for parents of children with disabilities: where they can seek support. I learned the names of organizations and where they are located. This is very important.”

The practical value of these meetings is immediate. From children’s access to education to healthcare services and specialized support, the information shared responds to real and pressing needs.

Through the Community Committees, the Cities and Regions for All project supports not only the integration of refugees and migrants, but also the development of communities where information, collaboration, and active participation create stronger foundations for inclusion and social cohesion.

The project “Cities and Regions for All (CR4A): Full Integration of Refugees and Migrants in Urban and Rural Settings” is co-funded by the European Union and contracted by ICMPD through the Migration Partnership Facility (MPF). It is implemented by Prague 5 Municipal District and People in Need.