The EU-funded programme ‘Return and Reintegration in Kosovo’ phase five (EU-RRK V) has reached the incredible number of one hundred houses built in 2018 alone that were handed over to returning displaced families, both internally and in the region, in order for them to start or re-build a new life in Kosovo.

 The latest beneficiaries include two related families of Egyptian origin, six members in total, and both female-headed households, who were temporarily relocated from Skopje, Macedonia to Ferizaj/Urosevac municipality with the support of UNHCR. After living in rented accommodations and following the completion of the construction of two single-family houses in Fushe Kosove/Kosovo Polje, IOM Kosovo helped and facilitated them to move in their own new houses, right in time before the advent of winter.

 In addition, the keys to their own newly-built house were handed over to a family from Peja municipality, carrying forward the already close cooperation of IOM with the Ministry of Communities and Returns and in particular with the Municipal Office for Returns and Communities in Peja/Pec, which is the first municipality in Kosovo to buy land to allocate to project beneficiaries.

 In the meantime, the EU-RRK V project team is continuing with the delivery of  Income Generation packages to returnees who were eligible and have successfully applied for start-up grants to realize their business idea. A whole set of equipment for welding was given to two beneficiaries from Peja/Pec municipality which will help them to generate income for themselves and thereby support their families.

EU-RRK V started in November 2017 and is an EU-funded programme managed by the European Union Office in Kosovo, implemented by IOM Kosovo. The programme is part of a long-term partnership between IOM Kosovo, the EU Office in Kosovo, and the Ministry for Communities and Returns to support the process of returns and help returnees to integrate into Kosovar society.