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Description
The ARMS project - Migrants Assistance Services in Western Romania will increase the capacity of the vulnerable group representing immigrants arriving in the western part of Romania, without legal entry, future asylum seekers and possible refugees with a form of protection in Romania, by providing counseling and information on available services provided by the authorities, medical assistance and emergency goods (food, hygiene products, clothing) as well as short-term integration services by providing training activities on life skills and access jobs in Romania and trauma overcoming activities and intercultural exchange initiatives.
The project will address the major need for food and hygiene products for immigrants in the custody of the Border Police and / or in the custody of the General Inspectorate for Immigration in Timis, Arad and Caras-Severin counties. The main needs of asylum seekers and people who will benefit from a form of protection will be identified by them and presented to local authorities and institutional and non-governmental actors in Timis County and a document will be drafted with 1 new and improved model to address the needs of the mirant vulnerable groups for the improvement of reception conditions and access to the services of immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees in Romania.
The main partner of the project The MissioLink International Foundation from Timisoara will guarantee the know-how for the successful implementation of the project through the support in the management activities, acquisitions and the relationship with the public authorities.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to: Increase capacity through information on access to support services, during the asylum process and rights and obligations for 500 immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees and the development of life skills and access to the labor market for 60 immigrants, applicants of asylum and refugees from Caras-Severin, Timis and Arad counties during 12 months. Increasing the quality of life of a vulnerable group of 250 immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees from Caras-Severin, Timis and Arad counties during 12 months by offering food packages, hygiene products, medical packages or clothes and increasing the degree of integration in Romania through art therapy services and participation in cultural and community activities. The development of local inter-institutional cooperation in Timis, Arad and Caras-Severin counties for the identification of measures that will facilitate the integration of immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees and the realization of information dissemination sessions on migration in the local community.
The ARMS project offered counseling and registration services to a total of 1,053 asylum seekers, people with a protection status, refugees from Ukraine and other non-European migrants settled in Timișoara. They received information about their rights and obligations, the asylum procedure or humanitarian visa granting in the case of refugees from Ukraine, as well as information about the support services offered by the LOGS Association through the ARMS project and other projects. Furthermore, cases that required additional intervention were referred to state institutions or partner organizations. The most assisted migrants came from Ukraine (331), Afghanistan (183) and India (67). Out of the total number of 656 persons assisted, 223 were minors, standing out as an additional vulnerable category. Almost half (284) of people were asylum seekers in Romania and the difference of 373 were either refugees from Ukraine, beneficiaries of a humanitarian visa or beneficiaries of a form of protection.
The aim was to increase the quality of life of vulnerable groups of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees from Timiș and Arad by offering 117 food packages, 111 hygiene product packages, 95 medical packages and 16 beneficiaries received clothes and shoes. A total of 300 migrants benefited from material assistance within the project. The increase in the degree of integration in Romania was also achieved through art therapy services (41 participating migrants), participation in cultural activities (107 beneficiaries) and by educating the local community through dissemination events attended by a total of over 250 Romanian citizens, from Timisoara. A survey was conducted between June and July 2022 with 104 migrant respondents in order to identify motivational factors during their stay in Romania.