Situation improved at Klein Kasteeltje!

First of all, we want to introduce ourselves, we are Alexia and Imane and from this week we will be the ones who will make a brief weekly summary in our blog, we will be telling all kinds of news (hopefully not bad, or at least not always) that have to do with Startpunt.

Stories from the Klein Kasteeltje - Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen

In the last blog entry, Jessica said that she was sorry to leave in the middle of the crisis. But since then the situation seems to have improved in some cases. Since two weeks all the people arriving in Belgium who want to ask for protection for the first time in Europe, are able to register their asylum application and are receiving a center. Families, unaccompanied minors, women and single men. However, single men who have already applied for asylum in another EU country and come to Belgium for the second time are not granted their right to accommodation.

This is very frustrating to see, but we continue to work on a temporary solution until the law is fully enforced. We put these asylum seekers in contact with lawyers who will ask the court to rule in their favor so that they can obtain a facility. On the other hand, we have new volunteers joining the motivated, kind, and funny group we already have. It is exciting to see that in difficult times people want to help as much as they can. We have months of training and preparation ahead of us with the volunteers, and we are very excited.

"It is exciting to see that in difficult times people want to help as much as they can"

We use our free time at Startpunt to improve as much as we can. That's why we are renovating one of our spaces to make it homelier, that's where all the volunteers meet before going to Klein Kasteltje. We hope to be able to show you pictures soon! That's all for this week, we hope you liked it. Have a nice week, we are very happy to have a Mediterranean climate in Brussels! It's great for when we miss Greece and Spain.