Case Study

Streamlining Service Delivery: One-Stop Service Delivery Shops for Venezuelan Migrants and Colombian Returnees

One-Stop Hubs Improving Migrant Service Access
Service Delivery

The Challenge

Colombia has faced pressure on its public service systems due to the arrival of nearly three million Venezuelan migrants and returnees, many of whom lack legal status or documentation. This influx has overwhelmed local institutions already strained by decades of internal displacement, limited infrastructure, and uneven governance capacity. Migrants often encounter barriers to accessing health, education, and legal services, while xenophobia and social exclusion further hinder their integration and the state’s ability to deliver equitable, responsive services.

Our Solution

Integrated Centers and Data-Driven Tools for Better Services

  • Integrated Service Centers: Chemonics co-created and launched 11 migrant integration centers across nine cities, offering one-stop access to services such as health, education, employment, legal aid, and psychosocial support to Venezuelan migrants and Colombian returnees. These centers were designed with local governments and communities to ensure sustainability, inclusivity, and responsiveness to migrant and host community needs.
  • Strengthening Subnational Governance: Chemonics helped municipal and departmental governments improve their capacity to plan, finance, and deliver services. This included technical assistance on migration governance, training for frontline staff, and support for coordination with national agencies.
  • Data-Driven Service Planning: Chemonics supported the National Planning Department’s Migration Observatory by developing standardized templates and methodologies for municipal migration reports. These tools enabled local authorities to better understand service demand, allocate resources more effectively, and monitor xenophobia and service access trends across neighborhoods.
  • Service Delivery Coordination Platforms: Chemonics enabled the creation of inter-institutional coordination mechanisms that brought together local authorities, service providers, and civil society to jointly identify service gaps, align resources, and streamline referrals. These platforms helped reduce duplication, improve case management, and ensure that migrants and returnees received timely, appropriate support.

The Impact

Transforming Migration Services for Inclusion and Resilience

Chemonics’ support to the Colombian government at the national and local levels significantly strengthened the country’s ability to respond to the social and institutional pressures of mass migration from Venezuela. Through initiatives like the establishment of the migrant integration centers, support to sub-national governments, and improvements in migration governance, Chemonics enhanced access to essential services for migrants, returnees, and host communities. These efforts contributed to more inclusive, coordinated, and sustainable service delivery systems across Colombia, while reinforcing national and local capacities to manage migration and promote social cohesion.