Category: Refugees

Book Launch: Refugees from Eden, boys from Afghanistan

10/9/2021

Book Cover: Refugees from Eden, Voices of lament, courage and justice.

Everyone is creeped-out by spiders.

My theory is that people who study them or have massive pet tarantulas, who are fascinated by their too-numerous legs and eyes, do so because they are super creepy.

But I must have read something about spider webs, I can’t remember what it was exactly, but it was something along the lines of:

“Personal connections are like spiderwebs.
You might meet someone for one moment and share an experience together.
Now you’re bound by a near-invisible thread,
like the fine, silk chord of a spider’s web.

When you meet that person again, share more time, experiences and conversations,
the thread is reinforced, until you’re bound strongly to that person, with unbreakable strength.”

That’s what happened for this book to be produced. I met Rosemary Power in Calais, France - a fellow brave volunteer during a pandemic. We spent time together at the beach with the other volunteers, and she lent me a copy of one of her books.

In Serbia, I met Aziz and Wahid. Stef and I saw them most days when we’d take hot food and re-charged powerbanks to their group who slept in tents in the woods. The threads of silk, already connecting us, bound us more strongly when we saw them again in Bosnia.

I am extremely proud to share their story in this book. Rosemary Power has collected stories for this anthology of stories from refugees and those from the communities that support them. Each person has a sad, uplifting, devastating and hopeful story to tell.

Aziz and Wahid are my friends - two teenage boys that I care about. But now more than ever, there are thousands of teenage boys like them who have fled Afghanistan, not to mention the other countries with equally harsh realities. There are thousands of families, struggling to keep hope, stuck at borders, their lives on hold.

Aziz and Wahid, along with their friends from Afghanistan meeting us in the rain. Sid, Serbia. Photo credit: Helen Tennyson

The other piece I wrote for the anthology is about the Old Factory in Bihać, Northern Bosnia. Hundreds of people live there. I use the word ‘live’ simply as the opposite of ‘die’, it’s awful.

These people, who are mostly from Afghanistan, have fled the Taliban in the hope of a future. The European Union blocks that future by illegally denying them the opportunity to claim asylum. Time and again people like my friend Romal are pushed back from Croatia - belongings destroyed, hopes dashed.

Romal (not his real name) was in the Afghan Army, he fought against the Taliban before walking most of the way from Kabul to Bihać. A journey of 6,000 km which included danger, smugglers, fear, injury and years of his life. He is stuck in Bosnia despite having reached the European Union on multiple occasions, only for the Croatian authorities to illegally remove him back to Bosnia. A clear and documented violation of Human Rights. You can read more about the complex web of illegal pushbacks at borderviolence.eu

I would love it if you bought the book! Read the stories from around the world, and share what you have read with others. The profits from the book will go to an organisation helping displaced people, and the more we talk and stay informed, the more likely it is that something positive will come out of it.

Buy the book from Wild Goose Publications here.

Let me know what you think of the book, comment below.

Oooooh! I could sign it for you!! If you want a signed copy then send me a message and I’ll start practicing my best hand-writing.

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Riding for women: Sponsored 100km Bike Ride

19/8/2021

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Afghanischer Frauenverein - Afghan Women's Association.

The events in Afghanistan, and the implications that the Taliban rule will have on women and girls, are extremely worrying. Access to education and employment opportunities are just the start of the problems.

***** UPDATE! We did it! Here's the instagram post to prove it.

So we thought we'd try to do something about it. Stephanie and I are going to do a 100 km bike ride in aid of Afghanischer Frauenverein (Afghan Women's Association).

About the Ride - Saturday 28th August

The Radbahn Münsterland is a cycle path in Northern Germany. It follows an old railway line, from Coesfeld to Rheine - with Steinfurt (where we live) right in the middle. So we plan to cycle the whole thing twice - from the middle to one end and home again, and then to the other end and home again. This will be a total of 100 km, and we get to have lunch at home!

100 km on the Radbahn Münsterland will be a challenge - we're just 25 km in in this photo.

About the Organisation

The Afghan Women's Association have been working in Afghanistan since 1992. They work in remote areas to provide life necessities like clean water to drink, as well as providing education opportunities. All whilst ensuring local people are involved, the projects are run by 190 local people. They are a registered organisation in Germany.

Right now they are focusing on emergency response.

We're aiming to raise €/£500 to support people who are now displaced. You can read more about this fund-raising project here, but here is an extract:

"244,000 people, most of them women with small children, have been fleeing the escalating violence in the country since the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan in May 2021 and are desperately seeking protection between the fronts. On August 10th alone, 20,000 refugees from the disputed areas of Kunduz, Baglan, Tachar and Badachschan reached the city of Kabul. Most of them have been able to save nothing but the clothes they wear. Everything is missing: drinking water, food, shelter, hygiene options, protection and medical care."

Stephanie and I are both feeling devastated by the news footage.

We have met people who fled exactly for the reasons we are now seeing. And our friends from Afghanistan have shared with us how scared they are for remaining friends and family members, as well as how sad they are for their country.

But we are both excited to be doing something, as well as having an adventure. I've never cycled that far in one day. And our longest training ride was just over 50 km, so it will certainly be a challenge.

Please donate to this excellent organisation.

You can do so via THIS LINK. And then we'd love it if you posted a comment here to let us know and wish us luck. We aren't able to track the donations directly, so if you fancied letting us know how much you donated so that we can feel smug, that would be great too.

If you are in the UK, you can also sigh THIS PETITION to call for the UK government to show compassion to asylum seekers.

We're ready! Hannah and Stephanie kitted out for their 100 km bike ride.

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Afghanistan: The women left behind

16/8/2021

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Artwork by Afghan Street Artist Shamsia Hassani

Waking up to the news that Kabul had fallen and the Taliban were in full control was shocking but not surprising. Of the many people from Afghanistan that I have met, it was the Taliban that caused them to flee their homes.

I met translators for European forces, NATO, USA and UK troops relied on their skills, but left them vulnerable. Anyone helping troops was an enemy of the Taliban.

I met the brothers of those killed by the Taliban, in the opposition army or because they refused to join the extremists.

I met human rights campaigners who want the rights for women to be equal, who want education for everyone and an end to corruption.

And it is the women who will be most affected.

From A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

The artist Shamsia Hassani sums up the feelings of many in her art work.

"Born April 1988, is the first female graffiti artist of Afghanistan. Through her artworks, Shamsia portrays Afghan women in a male dominant society.

Her art gives Afghan women a different face, a face with power, ambitions, and willingness to achieve goals. The woman character used in her artworks portrays a human being who is proud, loud, and can bring positive changes to people’s lives. During the last decade of post-war era in Afghanistan, Shamsia’s works have brought in a huge wave of color and appreciation to all the women in the country.

Her artworks have inspired thousands of women around the world and has given a new hope to female Afghan artists in the country. She has motivated hundreds of Afghans to bring in their creativity through her graffiti festival, art classes, and exhibitions in different countries around the world."

Artist Shamsia Hassani. Tap to buy a print.

This picture speaks to me directly. What would I do if suddenly I wasn’t allowed to be a musician? If I weren’t allowed to work at my art, or express myself? Not to mention if I had been denied the education to have that art in the first place.

And just to be clear. This isn’t about religion. Islam does not teach the oppression of women. Many Muslim people - men and women - support and campaign for equality and freedom.

What can we do?

It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of the devastation. But there are some moves we can make.

Sign this petition

Refugee Action are asking for the UK government to show compassion on those that need to seek shelter and safety by granting asylum.

Donate

Women for Afghan Women is a US based grassroots NGO. It “provides life changing, community based programs to thousands of women, children and families throughout Afghanistan. Our services include family counseling, education, and vocational training.” Donate here

Or Rukhsana Media - a woman-led media company reporting on the issues that affect women in Afghanistan.

And you can follow Shamsia Hassani on Instagram and buy her work.
https://www.shamsiahassani.net/

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ASYLUM DENIED: A Friend's Story - Bosnia

9/7/2021

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The River Una. The crystal clear waters flow beside the now closed family camp in Bosnia. Photo: Zac.

"A sad story that flows like a river all over the world, a story that all human beings are familiar with, a story that has no end, migration.

Migration is done by birds, fish, wolves, etc.

Migration has always been a good option for a better life, an option that costs a lot but is not for everyone and only for the better of us. We ?!? We are the population of human beings who are trying to find a safe place, human beings who behave like human beings and live a normal life.

This is the way we refugees have to go to any destination and work to reach our destination, home, safe house, and this work always continues.

The truth that there is no denying leads us to unfamiliar countries because of security, injustice, and thousands of other reasons. Countries that block our way, countries that take our property, countries that wait like wolves in the skin of a lamb.

But when it comes to the name of a refugee, everyone thinks of borders, and the problem is that they are not just borders, the camps and the whole country are problematic, all those people and their living conditions are problematic, until the justice that happens.

People who have no place in the camps and the police do not leave them outside the camps, parents who make shelter for their children under the trees on the street corners, young men who due to the lack of family members with them, they are not allowed to enter the camps, the problems of the refugees cannot be imagined to be over, but one can expect organization and order in their problems."

Bosnia Herzegovina isn’t a bad country. I’m sure my friends that have had to pass through will have nightmares about the way they were treated. It’s a poor country, which struggles to take care of its own citizens, let alone the thousands of others now trapped there, but the beauty and kindness of people does exist.

I first met Zac* (not his real name) in February 2021. He was 17 then. He speaks excellent English and Bosnian as well as Persian and is a keen photographer. It's his words that start this post.

We met in a cafe and chatted about how No Name Kitchen could use some of his photos. It was then that he told me about the boys living outside near the camp. The camp was for families and underage and unaccompanied boys. When the boys turn 18 then they are no longer allowed to stay inside the camp. So they had found a derelict house to sleep in.

Zac met us and introduced us to the group of boys that needed some help and gave us an overview of the situation in the camp. It was then that I learnt more about him. He and his parents and little sister had left Iran more than four years ago. They had lived in Sarajevo - the Bosnian capital - and the kids had gone to school. They applied for asylum in Bosnia. The glacially slow process took months and then their initial claim was rejected. This isn't at all surprising considering the number of successful asylum applications in Bosnia Herzegovina.

NO-ONE is granted asylum.

Compare this with the number of successful asylum claims in Germany and it’s clear that the majority of people from Iran are considered to be deserving of asylum in Germany. They were rejected because literally everyone is.

https://www.worlddata.info/europe/bosnia-and-herzegovina/asylum.php

https://www.worlddata.info/europe/germany/asylum.php

The day that Zac told me about the rejection, he was crushed. He’s lived the most important years of his life in Bosnia, it wasn’t an option to return to Iran and he knew from other people what it’s like to try and cross into the EU.

He’d just had his 18th birthday - it should have been a time of celebration. In a western European country he would celebrate being an adult, deciding on where to study at university or which job to apply for after school. Instead he was rejected and defeated by politics and nationality.

During that time, Zac continued to help us with translation, connections, photos and the stories of his friends. The last time I saw him, before I left Bosnia, he told me that their appeal against the asylum decision had been rejected and now they had to decide what to do.

On 5th June I had a message. He and his family, along with some friends, had crossed the border into Croatia and been illegally deported. His phone had been taken by the police but he managed to borrow one later to call me and give the details for this report for the Border Violence Monitoring Network.

“[The officers] behaviour, it was f**king bad with us. I was telling him – why do you take our phone, our money? He said to me “my sh*t is better than anyone here.” I said, whatever you want to do, do it.”

Needless to say, Zac was angry and frustrated. The small children in the group had witnessed the actions of police that they never should have had to face. Zac couldn’t understand how it was possible for humans to treat other humans in this way.

Around 10 days later he called me again. This time had been even worse. Not only had the group endured days on end of walking, but the police had mocked them, stolen their belongings and denied their human rights. Zac sounded even more hopeless, but was determined to do something against this unjust treatment. He was so motivated to provide detailed evidence for the report that he injured himself by scratching the numbers of the cars into his skin. Read the next report here.

"The officers asked if the group wanted to claim asylum. The group members replied that they did. The respondent described how the officers first of all said “Ok come with us,” then as the group were getting to their feet, the officers laughed at them and said “what are you doing? Sit down. No one wants to give you asylum.”"

I spoke to him again this week. Another pushback and another report in the making. This time they had reached the city centre of Zagreb. They were at the bus station.

They were in the centre of a European Union capital city and yet still their human right to claim asylum was denied.

Whilst we were chatting, I asked after Zac’s family. “What can I say?” was the only answer he was able to give. I can’t imagine how he or his family are feeling right now. They are stuck in a camp in Bosnia - living in a shipping container.

Zac takes a lot of the responsibility with his language skills and competence, he’s young and fit and has to watch his little sister and parents endure the physical challenges of walking day after day. And that’s without the emotional drain of expecting to be caught at any moment, of knowing what will happen if they are caught but also with the knowledge that they were so close to being safe before.

We've chatted a lot this we about how best to make this blog post and about people we both know. Zac wants to continue providing content for No Name Kitchen. We want to shout about these injustices. The repeated failings of the European Union to show compassion to people that need help.

I'm very proud to know Zac, to benefit from his help while we were in Bosnia, to share creative ideas and to have as a friend. The injustices he has already faced and those yet to come are not acceptable.

It seems really hard to know what to do about this. I know that I and others have felt angry without knowing how to channel that into action. One way to help is by making a donation to No Name Kitchen who are part of Border Violence Monitoring Network and provide volunteers on the ground who collect testimonies.

Like and share my posts on Facebook and Instagram and comment below with messages of support. It really means a lot to me and to Zac.

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Ceuta and Melilla - People-on-the-move on the African continent

2/7/2021

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Border Defences, Ceuta. Photo: Irina Samy and No Name Kitchen

I hear about the situation in France, Serbia and Bosnia, as well as in Greece via different organisations and from friends. But the situation for displaced people on the African continent is something I knew less about.

No Name Kitchen are helping in Ceuta and Melilla. Both are Spanish-controlled ports on the shore of Africa.

map photo CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1471958

As with so much global history - the Europeans made claims on the land long, long ago, and the Spanish have controlled Ceuta since the 1600s. The location of both cities meant that it was possible to monitor and control the sea traffic and that the land was easily defended from invasion or attack.

Today, Ceuta and Melilla are part of the European Union.

Neighbouring Morocco, itself a destination country for refugees and asylum seekers from further south, has a complex history. Oppression and economic problems, lack of women’s and LGBTQ rights. Around 4 million Moroccans live in poverty today.

Covid, of course, hasn’t helped. Previously, some movement between the Spanish areas and Morocco was common. This article by No Name Kitchen explains well what has happened during the pandemic and says:

“Since March 2020, when Morocco closed the borders due to Covid-19 restrictions, people from neighboring cities who previously had the right to come to Ceuta freely, have been separated from their family and friends for more than a year.

The leader of the Polisario Front of Western Sahara is in a hospital in Spain. For several weeks, the Moroccan authorities have been threatening Madrid with a political response. This relative opening of borders (forcing people to risk their lives at the sea) could be the answer. Once again, this would be a tragic use of people in order to achieve political interests.”

Vulnerable people were used as political pawns once again.

This Facebook post by No Name Kitchen from November 2020 gives a window into the situation in Melilla:

This week four young Moroccans died, trying to enter Melilla using a sewage drain. No matter how high the fences are, no matter how much control there is in the water, the struggle to achieve a more dignified life does not rest, even if it involves carrying out increasingly dangerous maneuvers.

The mourning and sadness over the death of these four young people reach the streets of Melilla, where the kids relive their own journeys.

One boy relives it even more intensely, a year ago he used the same route to enter Melilla.

"There were five of us, I was leading, guiding my companions as I knew the route of previous attempts. We were crouched, on all fours and sometimes with our chests on the ground. Everything was dark, we could only see half a meter ahead thanks to the small flashlights that we carried in our mouths. The air could not be breathed, it smelled of fecal water, bleach and there was little oxygen. We spent five hours through the darkness, accompanied by garbage, mud, rats, cockroaches, chemicals and broken glass bottles that ripped our skin. We stopped every fifteen minutes to try to breathe a little better. I fainted, I was unconscious with my whole body under the mud, I was lucky that my companions found me in time. I saw death up close, I thought I would not come out alive from that labyrinth. But my companions encouraged me, their lives depended on me who had to guide them, so I continued. Until we finally managed to enter Melilla. I have never explained this to my family, maybe I will do it when I already have my life settled, I don't know. But on that journey I died, died and was born again. "

The problems in the world are so complex, I certainly don’t pretend to understand them all, let alone to know what the answers are. But I do know that so much of the inequality that exists is avoidable. If there were fair trade deals, ethical investing, safe routes for refugees, no racism or discrimination. If people were treated with dignity and kindness instead of otherness and scorn.

Follow No Name Kitchen on Facebook and Instagram and make a donation towards their work here.

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Struggles Continue in Bosnia: No Name Kitchen Wants to Expand

18/6/2021

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The people I met in Bosnia don't want to be beggars, asking for help, but they have no choice. I will never be able to imagine what it feels like to ask for food so I don't starve, or clean underwear because I haven't been able to wash.

Dignity is in short supply when the authorities beat you, steal your possessions and deny you your human rights.

In March 2020, as the world shut down, No Name Kitchen found a way to continue helping. The voucher scheme works remotely and allows some dignity to the people who need support.

Volunteers across the world receive and respond to messages from people-on-the-move and then provide a code for use in a local shop.

Genius!

You just receive a code, walk to the shop and BUY WHAT YOU NEED AND WANT! Rather than waiting for a food pack, you have a bit of dignity restored as you go shopping in a normal way.

Not only this, but the scheme supports small, local businesses and frees up volunteers on the ground to take on other tasks.

WE NEED TO EXPAND

The brilliance of the scheme means that volunteers don't need to be physically there. There's another town, far away from the two NNK bases already in Bosnia, where families are staying. Local businesses are already in agreement, but we need your help.

I went to this other location a few times, some friends of mine ended up there. A family with a 12 year old and a four year old. It's a calm and friendly little town and the local people want to help, but resources are stretched thin. The teams in Bihac and Velika Kladusa are occupied enough without having to travel further.

Please consider donating via this link.

I'm very proud of NNK and the work every does to think of the very best ways of helping. Involving those that need help in the decision-making of the organisation and of the aid the receive is exactly as it should be, but is lacking in many other organisations. Well done team!

What do you think of the voucher scheme? What other ways can we ensure vulnerable people retain dignity and control? Comment below.

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The G7 Summit: are we doomed?

11/6/2021

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As the leaders of the wealthiest nations meet in Cornwall, UK this weekend, the issues of recovery from the pandemic will be at the top of the agenda.

Yet, as these wealthy nations with successful vaccination programmes, proclaim victory over the virus, poorer countries continue to struggle.

The worst affected countries in the last 7 days are currently Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Where is the international reporting about those countries?

Britain wants “[G7] leaders to seize the opportunity to build back better from coronavirus, uniting to make the future fairer, greener and more prosperous.”

A great slogan, nice use of alliteration there, but a huge contradiction.

"build back better"

The UK announced a drastic reduction in foreign aid “from 0.7% to 0.5% of total national income - a reduction of around £4bn.

Greenpeace UK has been keeping track of the government’s broken promises on cutting carbon emissions.

Power and inequality

Greenpeace and other activists call on citizens to take action. But it’s really hard to make sustainable choices when you have little control over your spending habits or accommodation. The shocking graph provided here shows the dramatic increase in the number of vulnerable people in the UK.

If you’re busy worrying about whether your family will eat a healthy meal, you’re not going to be too worried about the fossil fuel targets being missed.

And thus the divide widens. The effects of climate change are being felt.

“Already, flooding in low-lying coastal areas is forcing people to migrate to higher ground, and millions more are vulnerable from flood risk and other climate change effects.”

Migration. Climate change causes migration.

So people fleeing war, famine and persecution will be joined in the inadequate refugee camps at the borders of the EU, USA and elsewhere. Hoping for protection from a problem they had little part in causing, but now at the mercy of those who caused it.

What CAN We Do?

It feels pretty hopeless doesn’t it?

The corrupt governments of wealthy, western nations act against international law with the full knowledge of their citizens and we can’t do anything.

But there are success stories of people-power leading to change.

The fantastic work of The Good Law Project have held politicians to account over PPE procurement, and the damage done by Trump’s selfish policies has been halted by President Biden.

I’m not going to preach at you about going vegan, donating to charities, reusing your plastic bags or signing petitions. But if any of these ideas has got you thinking, then here are some useful links.

How to go vegan

How to find and donate to a food bank near you

The Joyful Environmentalist

Greta Thundberg’s FridaysForFuture

Do something for nothing

Start the conversation. What should we do? Is it too late to make any changes? Is humanity doomed? Why should I care when I live in a nice house on a hill? Comment below.

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Do Something For Nothing: Joshua Coombes Book Launch

4/6/2021

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One day, hairdresser Joshua Coombes decided not to walk past. He stopped and chatted with people experiencing homelessness, giving time just to listen. Another day, he took the tools of his trade with him and offered cuts to anyone that wanted them. That was the start of #DoSomethingForNothing.

Since 2015 Joshua has encouraged other people to see a problem and do something about it, and his influence has spread. The Instagram account @DoSomethingForNothing has over 59,000 followers. But it’s not just a # movement.

“There’s a kind of global network of people doing stuff at the grassroots level. Jade got involved early on in #DoSomethingForNothing, providing an opportunity to get involved in the same way. Jade messaged me, she’s a vet in north London. A lot of people on the streets have dogs and love them dearly. Jade started Street Vet UK, now with links all over the country.”

The movement has touched the lives of countless people, and changed Joshua’s direction as well. “I suppose for me, being an author was not something I set out to do. I thought, this is an important message and I knew it had to live longer than Instagram. It can be transient. I was not into English and writing at school and I’m really proud of the book.”

He’s travelled the world promoting his message, telling the stories of those he meets. “When I first started, I’d write the captions for the Instagram posts. The words of the posts became important. I’d done this quite a bit, every day at times. I hadn’t written before but I guess I learnt that way. Sometimes I’d use people’s words, sometimes my own objective observations. When someone reached out to me about the book, I didn’t have to think too hard before saying yes.”

Joshua’s book Do Something for Nothing was released this week. It’s the stories of those he’s met “through the simple act of a haircut,” It’s another way that Joshua raises awareness of important issues.

“This week the eviction ban ended. Then you’ve got people that are still furloughed, and haven't got their jobs back. Hundreds of thousands of people could be given their eviction notice to leave their home. We can talk about prevention and talk about solutions. It’s all very well that the government talks about reducing the bill for homeslessness and funding for local councils. None of it means anything without prevention.”

Joshua also highlights the short-comings of mental health support, even when economic and practical support is there. “If you’re in a transient, insecure place, you’re going to be experiencing acute mental stress. Having people there for you, having a support network - is lacking, especially in the UK. If you’re providing housing or job opportunities, but no support system, none of those things mean anything.”

These current and important topics should be the concern of everyone. It can seem difficult to know how to contribute to change yourself, but Joshua has some advice. “Write down those few things that don’t sit well with you. And write down your own skills. Connect things that you like doing and are good at with how to help. Remember your time is really important too. If you go and volunteer at a soup kitchen, or like when I go to Napier Barracks [with Jas and worldwidetribe] to meet people, I know I might cut a couple of people’s hair and some people might bring food. But ultimately just being there to hang out is the most important thing. You are important and your time is important.”

Joshua's message, of making small efforts towards positive change in the world around us, really is doable by everyone. Why not check in with your neighbours or search for local, grassroots organisations?

Plenty of NGOs need remote help with social media or online tasks too. No Name Kitchen recently requested volunteers for 2 hours each week for their innovative voucher scheme in Bosnia.

To buy Joshua’s book go to bookstore.org and search for “Joshua Coombes Do Something for Nothing” from your local book shop. And to join the #DoSomethingForNothing movement check out Joshua on Instagram

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Fasting in Ramadan: Friendship and Gratitude

20/5/2021

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Calais, France in May 2020

Last year, during Ramadan, I lived in France. I was staying with some people who are Muslim and were fasting during the daytime, before preparing lovely evening meals which I was invited to. So I took the opportunity to join them in fasting for a few days.

In May last year in France, sunset wasn’t until after 9:30pm. That’s a looong time to go without food. I picked a day when I would be quite busy with voluntary work and accepted that it would be a challenge. I didn’t find it too difficult to sit with the other volunteers while they were eating lunch, I was mindful that I had chosen to do this and that avoiding the world isn’t really the spirit of it.

Dinner that evening was wonderful. My housemates had prepared a lovely meal, nicely laid out on the table with dates, juice, bread and a vegetable lentil dish. The final hour had been mentally hard as my stomach growled knowing that I would eat soon, but the tastes of the food and the companionship with my friends was certainly worth it.

Lovely iftar food!

This year I was in Bosnia for most of Ramadan. I was volunteering with No Name Kitchen. My friends who were sleeping rough in the city, refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and elsewhere, were fasting despite the difficult living conditions. I talked with a lot of people about what it was like, and many people told me that they are used to it. They’ve grown up with the fasting tradition. But the words of one of my closer friends struck me the most.

“We’re used to going without food. Sometimes we will have two or three days when we can’t eat anything, fasting during the day is no problem.”

I chose not to fast while I was working in Bihac. We had long, exhausting days, and I didn’t want to affect the work we were doing when people were counting on us to help. But once I had returned to Germany I fasted for a couple of days. I found it refreshing. It helped me realise (not for the first time) how lucky I am to have access to any food I want almost all the time.

The freedoms of a Western European life start at the basics - access to food and water, the most basic of human rights.

My Muslim friends, who are still stuck in Bosnia, were very happy to hear that I had fasted with them for a short time. It was a pleasure to be able to have something in common, despite our lives being so different.

We talked about next year, that we will be able to celebrate together when they have reached safe places.

To show support for people stranded in Bosnia, donate to No Name Kitchen here.

Do you fast for Ramadan? If not, would you try it? Comment below.

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The Generosity of Steinfurt: donations for Bosnia

27/1/2021

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Steinfurt Schloss, Photo: Hannah Parry

It doesn’t always rain in Steinfurt.

But more often than not, the striking castle and the angular church tower are silhouetted against a grey sky.

It’s definitely not on the usual tourist radar, but the huge Bagno Park and area of woodland that separate the two halves of the town, are delightful. The wooden-framed buildings of the old town centre are firmly north German, and the twice-weekly market continues to be laid out on the cobbled street, despite the current restrictions.

It is here that No Name Kitchen volunteer Stef lives. And it is here that the generosity of her friends, colleagues and local groups has completely astounded us.

The large meeting room in the offices of Use-Lab, Stef’s company, was piled high with clothes, shoes, blankets and sleeping bags donated by local Rotary Clubs, Breitensportverband and Soroptimists International, as well as the Pascal Gymnasium in Münster. We spent an entire day sorting and packing with Use-Lab director Torsten his son Tim, Anfried and Ruth - Stef’s housemate.

Roping in other organisations to help us with the logistics of transporting everything to Bosnia, we will be sending half a truck’s worth of essential equipment, as well as some hygiene supplies, which will (fingers crossed) arrive just as we do. We’ll then be able to share the stuff with people in need.

The situation in Bihac right now is as bad as ever.

The fire at Lipa Camp (read more about that here), which rightly engaged the spotlight of international media, has rather dwarfed the problems that already existed. Thousands of people are unsupported by any camp - inadequate or otherwise - and survive in the crumbling buildings in the city.

My friend sent these photos of where he lives.

Without the support of donations and organisations, I can’t imagine what would happen to him. Surely he would freeze or starve.

The generosity of the people of Steinfurt doesn’t just extend to physical or monetary donations. So often I feel as though I am shouting into the wind. That people in Europe read about and disapprove of the situation in the Balkans, but don’t care enough to act for change. Steinfurt has shown us that people do care. They care about our friends and the injustices that they face, and they’re willing to show that in a material way.

For us, as we begin our journey back to a much-changed Bihac, we are emboldened by the support.

To add to the support shown by the wonderful people of Steinfurt, you can donate to No Name Kitchen here.

And messages of support for us are always welcome.

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Do Something For Nothing: Joshua Coombes Book Launch

Fasting in Ramadan: Friendship and Gratitude

The Generosity of Steinfurt: donations for Bosnia

Hannah the traveller

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Hannah the traveller

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What CAN We Do?