“We are hoping to help as many Nepalese and South Asians as possible, but also anyone who comes to us,” the president of the NIALP association, Kamal Bhattarai, told Lusa.

“It is the first CLAIM of its kind and we are very happy to have this responsibility to serve as an example,” he said.

The community of people from Nepal, India and Balngladesh is estimated at over 200,000 people and Kamal Bhattarai acknowledges that language is the main challenge.

“Here, they can find people who speak their language and can help them find solutions to their problems,” he highlighted.

“In the context of the Migration Action Plan, which defines the integration of migrants as a fundamental pillar of the national regulatory policy, more humanistic and with respect for the fundamental rights of foreign citizens”, the Integration, Migration and Asylum Agency (AIMA) says, in a statement, that the choice of Nialp is due to the work done by the association.

“The opening of the first CLAIM in Martim Moniz, an area known for its multiculturalism, and in partnership, for the first time, with an association for the integration of Nepalese immigrants into Portuguese society, is a reflection of the work carried out by AIMA in promoting the integration of all migrants who have chosen the country to live in”, says the organization in a statement.

This CLAIM “will provide a free service with reception, information and support functions for migrant citizens, including immigrants and applicants for international protection”, adds the agency.