Belgium 2007

The Program 3x1 (“Programa 3x1 para migrantes”) supports Mexicans living abroad to develop social infrastructure and productive projects in their hometown communities, with the participation of the federal, state and local government. The Program 3x1 for migrants is the federal government's answer for supporting migrant desire of improving their hometowns through the development of community social and productive projects. Adding the participation of the state and local government and hometown associations.

Access to justice is one of the principal challenges faced by migrant workers. In many cases, abused or illegally dismissed workers find it difficult or even outright impossible to file and prosecute labor complaints against their foreign employers. Once employment is terminated, the migrant worker has very limited options. Oftentimes, they are deported or opt to return to the home country without receiving their unpaid salaries, benefits and other monetary claims.

IOM's MIDA program, launched in 2001 and operating in eleven African countries, supports the short or longer term (or virtual) return of expatriate skills to key sectors. In each country, a multi-sectoral MIDA Steering Committee is set up, with the aim of greater coherence within the governments. The networks of participants strengthen interactions between origin and destination countries, which may stimulate further returns and development projects involving diaspora and/or the productive use of remittances.

In Bangladesh, pre-employment orientation on overseas employment is offered as an outreach program by an international organization with government and non-government stakeholders, including migrants and media outlets.

The Malian government implements Diaspora fora to connect and build confidence with its diaspora. The first Diaspora Forum in 2003 was the opportunity to discuss three topics:

• the organisation and the management of the diaspora (strenghten the partnership with the High Council of the Malian diaspora, ameliorate the services in the embassies and the social protection, etc),
• investments favouring development (facilitate remittances and access to property market,etc),
• involvement of the diaspora in Malian political, economical and cultural life.

The US National Institute of Health's Fogarty International Center (FIC) aims to strengthen the capacity of institutions in low- and middle-income countries to conduct HIV/AIDS-related research. 

In Manila, the Overseas Workers Welfare Adminsitration (OWWA) has set up a half-way house to assist returned Filipinas who have suffered abuse abroad. The OFW Halfway Home is intended for transient Overseas Filipina Workers (OFW) who have no place to stay in Manila. The facility can accommodate 40 distressed OFWs, whom OWWA will provide with bedding, meals, and personal hygiene kits during their temporary stay. It also has recreational facilities for table games, televiewing, and group interaction.

Established on 6th March 2007 by Vodafone's Kenyan associate, Safaricom, M-Pesa (M for mobile, pesa is Swahili for money) is Africa's leading mobile money service, which operates in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique and Tanzania.

Mobile phone-based remittance systems are employed by a number of providers, including Smart Communications, Inc. and Globe Telecoms. They allow remitters to transmit money by using their beneficiaries' mobile phones. 

In the Dominican Republic, Quisqueyana, Mercantil, and Visa International produced a product called Cashpin, the only card product in the Dominican remittance marketplace.  Cashpin is a rechargeable debit card, hand-delivered in the traditional way. Once the sender sets up the account, the card need only be activated by the receiver by phone. Value can be increased by both the sender and the receiver. The card is usable anywhere in the local or international Visa Electron network, as well as on the domestic ATH network.