The first homes constructed for returnee families in Kosovo within the current Return and Reintegration in Kosovo project have been handed over to their new owners. The aim for the Danish Refugee Council Kosovo under this project is to build 210 homes for families displaced in the Western Balkans region returning to their place of origin in Kosovo.

“I encourage all displaced people from Kline/a Municipality to take advantage of this project and to return to their homes,” said Staniša Šarković, whose house was among the first 17 to be completed this spring.

Staniša, his wife Daniela, their two sons, Aleksandar (12) and Jovan (10) and daughter Ljubica (11) have returned back to their place of origin in the village of Dollc/Dollac in western Kosovo after being displaced for 11 years in the town of Kraljevo in Serbia. The whole family returned officially on 21st May 2010, but Staniša was the first to arrive back in November 2009 to work on supervising the rebuilding of his home.

Making the decision to return has not been a quick and easy one. While in displacement, the family benefited from the information and counseling services provided by the Danish Refugee Council  offices in Montenegro and Serbia, which helped the family take a decision on their preferred durable solution to their displacement. After expressing the wish to return home, additional visits and information activities were facilitated for the family including visits to Kosovo and inter-ethnic dialogue meetings with former neighbors to make their return go smoothly.

At the house opening ceremony, Staniša Šarković said: “I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of my family and fellow returnees to thank the Ministry and EU for giving us the opportunity to return in our place of origin. It is an emotional feeling to return after 10 years in displacement.”

Staniša Šarković pointed out that the next challenge would be finding a job, a key element of sustainable reintegration for him and the other returnees..

The Return and Reintegration in Kosovo project is one of many refugee/IDP return interventions that DRC has implemented over the past 10 years, helping thousands of families to re-establish their lives after the end of the conflict in Kosovo.

On their return to their place of origin, DRC ensures that returnee families benefit from not just a new house, but also socio–economic assistance to support the process of reintegration. Typically this includes food, furniture, firewood and income generation grants to support the restarting of their livelihoods, as well as return transport assistance to their final destinations in Kosovo.  

The current Return and Reintegration in Kosovo Project is funded by the Kosovo Ministry for Communities and Return and the European Union through the European Commission Liaison Office to Kosovo.

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