The Quiet Work of Starting Over: "Return does not end the journey. It begins a new one."

Displacement remains a reality for millions of people worldwide, and that the journey back to a self-determined life is often long and challenging. For the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), supporting refugees and returnees in Kosovo is a field of work rooted in a long-standing history.

As early as 1999, during the Kosovo war, GIZ was active in Albania, providing humanitarian assistance to Kosovar refugees in camps. When many families returned after the conflict, GIZ was among the first international implementers to support them in rebuilding their livelihoods and restoring basic living conditions.

Since 2016, GIZ has been implementing the federal-state reintegration project URA (“Bridge”) in Kosovo on behalf of the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), under the authority of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI). The project supports returnees through immediate post-arrival assistance, labour market integration, and social and psychosocial counselling. Although the number of returnees keeps decreasing, people continue to return to their homeland. In the past year alone, URA registered, counselled, and assisted 825 individuals.

Reintegration, however, goes far beyond simply returning to a place. It means reconnecting with society, rebuilding perspectives, and often overcoming personal and emotional burdens. Psychosocial support is therefore a central pillar of this work, helping people not only return, but truly start over. To understand what that support looks like day to day, we spoke with Naim, one of the psychologists at the URA Return Centre.

Meet Naim

Naim, can you tell us a bit about yourself and what drew you to working with returnees?

I am a clinical psychologist specializing in trauma therapy and a certified Cognitive Behavioral Therapist (CBT), accredited by the European Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (EABCT). For nearly two decades, I have been working with returnees, supporting individuals and families through the challenges of reintegration.

My journey into this field began shortly after I completed my psychology studies, when I was selected for an internship in Germany focused on psychological trauma therapy. When I returned to Kosovo, the URA Return Centre was beginning to recruit staff. I joined the project as a psychologist, and have remained committed to this work ever since.

What drew me to it was the chance to help people during one of the most challenging periods of their lives. Returning to a country after years abroad often involves emotional, social, and practical difficulties. Being able to support people through that transition, and to witness their progress, has made this work both meaningful and rewarding for me.

The human side of return

Returning to your own country is often imagined as relief, the end of a hard road. For many returnees, the reality is more complicated.

When someone walks into your office for the first time after returning to Kosovo, what are they usually carrying with them, emotionally?

Most returnees arrive carrying a mixture of uncertainty, fear, frustration, and sometimes anger. Many are worried about their future, how they will reintegrate, and whether they will be accepted by their community. Some also struggle with feelings of stigma, disappointment, or a sense of loss after leaving behind a life they had built in Germany.

Every story is different. Their emotional state often depends on the circumstances of their return, the length of time they lived abroad, their personal resilience, and the support available to them. Through psychological counselling and the broader support of the project team, we work together to process these emotions and help them regain a sense of stability, confidence, and direction.

First contact and trust

Mental health still carries stigma in many communities. How do you get someone to open up when they may have never spoken to a psychologist before?

Mental health stigma is still a significant challenge, not only in Kosovo but in many societies. For some people, speaking to a psychologist can feel intimidating, especially if they have never sought support before. That said, many of our clients come from Germany, where mental health services are more commonly used and discussed, so they have often already had some experience with counselling, which makes it easier to engage.

Another important factor is our multidisciplinary approach. Usually, the first contact is with a social counsellor, who takes time to understand the client’s situation and build trust. If psychological support is needed, the client is then referred to a psychologist. This gradual process helps reduce stigma. Ultimately, the key is not convincing someone to open up, but creating a safe, respectful, and non-judgmental space where they feel heard.

The weight people bring

The hardest parts of return are often the ones no one sees. Behind the practical questions of work and housing sit quieter struggles.

What are the most common psychological struggles you see in returnees, things an outsider might not expect?

Many people assume the biggest challenge for returnees is finding a job or securing housing. While these are important concerns, the psychological challenges are often less visible and can be just as significant. The migration journey itself can expose people to prolonged stress, uncertainty, social isolation, and discrimination. For some, these experiences are compounded by traumatic events that were never fully processed, and we often see symptoms related to trauma, anxiety, and depression.

One of the most common struggles is difficulty readjusting to life in their home country. After years abroad, people may feel disconnected from their community, experience a loss of social networks, or find that their expectations of returning home do not match reality. This can lead to loneliness, frustration, and a sense of not fully belonging anywhere. What outsiders may not expect is that returning home does not automatically end the emotional challenges of migration.

How do you help someone rebuild a sense of belonging?

A sense of belonging cannot be imposed; it develops through meaningful connections and participation in everyday life. We help returnees rebuild it by supporting them in creating new social networks, reconnecting with family and community, finding employment or educational opportunities, and recognizing the strengths they bring from Germany.

It is also important to validate their mixed identity. They do not have to choose between being “German” or “Kosovar.” Many find a sense of belonging by embracing both parts of their experience and creating a new sense of home that reflects who they are today.

Children and families

What do kids go through when their family returns, especially if they were born or raised in Germany?

For children who were born or largely raised in Germany, return can be particularly challenging, because they may see Germany as their home. They often must leave behind friends, schools, familiar routines, and sometimes a language they feel more comfortable speaking. Many experience uncertainty, sadness, or difficulty adapting to a new environment.

At the same time, children are often remarkably resilient when they receive the right support. This is what my colleague, who is also a clinical psychologist specializing in family therapy, takes care of. With adequate support, children can adapt well and gradually develop a sense of belonging in their new surroundings. We also work with parents, helping them understand their children’s reactions as a normal response to a major life change.

Meaning and the bigger picture

After nearly twenty years, certain cases stay with you. They show what is at stake, and what becomes possible when support arrives at the right moment

Is there a moment or a person, without names, that stays with you and reminds you why this work matters?

One case particularly stands out. It involved a client who had just been repatriated and was received at Prishtina Airport. During our initial contact, it became clear that immediate intervention was necessary. The following day, we visited him and found that he was living in very difficult socio-economic conditions and was also facing serious mental health challenges. He refused to attend psychiatric appointments or continue his medication, having developed a deep distrust of institutions in Kosovo.

Over about two months, our team maintained regular contact, providing consistent counselling, guidance, and emotional support. Through patience and trust-building, we were eventually able to help him accept psychiatric and psychological treatment. At the same time, the URA team addressed his immediate and long-term needs, including emergency support, basic household furniture, financial assistance for medication, and employment mediation.

As a result, his condition gradually improved. He re-engaged with treatment, stabilized his situation, and successfully reintegrated into society. Cases like this show how meaningful change can happen when professional support, persistence, and trust come together at the right moment.

If someone reading this just returned and is afraid to ask for help, what would you say to them?

I would tell them that needing support during such a major life transition is normal. Give yourself time, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength, and an important step in adapting to a new situation. There are people and services available to support you, and you do not have to go through this process alone.

When you look back years from now, what do you hope your time on this programme will have meant?

I hope that, in some small way, I helped people regain a sense of stability, belonging, and hope during a challenging period of their lives. If years from now they are thriving and no longer need the support we once provided, I would see that as the best possible outcome.

Conversations like this one are a reminder that the journey does not end at the border back home. Returning home is the beginning of something new, and with the right support, no one has to start over alone.