In the village of Ima in the municipality of Guarda in Portugal, four houses have been renovated to host refugee and migrant families within the scope of the Love And Respect (LAR) project, run by the Association to Support the Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees (AIIR). 

The project is a pilot one, promoting the inclusion and settlement of displaced people 'with a view to repopulation of villages in the interior of Portugal and promotion of the rural environment, guaranteeing living and working conditions for these families'. Lessons learned in Guarda can now be transferred to other municipalities, further promoting the inclusion of refugees and repopulating villages across Portugal.

According to project coordinator Bárbara Moreira, the idea for the project was actually conceived more than six years ago, but gained greater significance and was solidified in 2015, when the so-called 'refugee crisis' came close to home. Three years later in 2018, the AIIR was created and today employs five people, soon to be seven, as it steadily grows in popularity and gains momentum.

The specific aim of the project is to support migrant families to integrate in Portugal: to facilitate their taking root and building a new home, and to help them in overcoming the adversities that usually arise during processes of socio-professional inclusion. According to Moreira, 'the most important and gratifying feedback comes from Ima residents... it feels so good to hear the elders praise the good education of the new families, or thank the support and activities that our presence in the village has already allowed'.

Further information on this initiative can be found here.