The need

One of the most difficult prospects for migrants, refugees and Internally Displaced Persons is that they may never be able to return home. At the same time the communities that host them are often struggling with weak economies and bleak futures and cannot sufficiently support the added pressure of absorbing newcomers.

Introduction

ICMC assists migrants, refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who wish to integrate peacefully and sustainably into the host country or community, when returning to their home is not a secure option. Among other services, ICMC provides grants and loans to the displaced to start small business ventures, while encouraging host community development through the provision of funds and training for local NGOs.

Support provided by ICMC in its integration programming:

-Providing holistic needs assessments in communities for IDPs as well as for longstanding residents
-Using ICMC's participatory planning model, involving the organisation of trust-building assemblies and the election of community representatives from both  the host and IDP communities, with emphasis on individual as well as on collective decision making
-Institution building through partnering with existing small associations and civil society and working with communities to create new associations to  address outstanding needs
-Capacity building to enhance the leadership, administration and advocacy skills of the community associations, with specially-designed trainings for the  elected community representatives in:

organizational management
strategic planning
community-based economic development
proposal writing
protecting human rights

-Community organizing and community meetings led by the elected representatives to collect data, assess problems, needs and resources for the drafting of  a community development plan, including economic strategies to generate community income to improve schools, health facilities, water and sanitation  services and advocacy strategies to address issues of human rights and rights to land
-Developing community structures that ensure ongoing attention and support to the most vulnerable amongst them with an individualized and intensive  approach to extremely vulnerable individuals on a case by case basis
-Implementing projects based on proposals created in community processes and supported by donor funding through ICMC
-Providing ongoing technical assistance and field monitoring to assist with essential administration, finance, logistics and project implementation systems,  including the legal registration of associations and the opening of bank accounts.