Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Een Hart Voor Vluchtelingen, a non-profit in Ghent, aids refugees and asylum seekers, providing essential items and temporary shelter. Due to property reallocation, they are urgently searching for a new 300 sqm location. Mayor Mathias De Clerc supports their efforts
For the last 9 years now, the non-profit group Een Hart Voor Vluchtelingen has been based in the old city lending service building on Forestraat. This space is 300 square meters and has been turned into a center to help refugees and people in need.
The building has a reception and meeting area where refugees can feel safe and connect with volunteers. There is also a big free shop where one can receive such essentials as clothes, household things, and toiletries, which have been donated by the community. The site has offices for the work of the organization and a warehouse for the storing and management of donated items. This setup helps the organization provide the support that many people need.
How is Een Hart Voor Vluchtelingen adapting to Ghent’s asylum crisis?
In the past year and a half, Een Hart Voor Vluchtelingen has grown its services to help with the rising crisis. They have offered temporary shelter to around 100 refugees who had no other place to go. The organization cares about the needs of the refugee community.
According to the organization, the facility has become a crucial support for many, providing not just material help but also a feeling of dignity and hope. By being a center for both immediate assistance and long-term support, the organization plays a key role in helping refugees rebuild their lives and become part of the local community.
The non-profit organization Een Hart Voor Vluchtelingen helps asylum seekers to seek a place to stay but do not get one because of issues in the system. Belgium has faced criticism many times for not providing enough shelter for people during their asylum process.
Many of these individuals are left to manage on their own and turn to the organization for help. By filling the gap left by the system, the non-profit delivers essential aid to those who have been overlooked.
The organization opens its doors about two times a week to give emergency help to people in need. They provide important items like sleeping bags and gloves to asylum seekers living on the streets, especially in cold weather.
The future of the project is now unclear because the organization leaves its current location in the Visserij district of Ghent. The owner of the property has decided to use the site for other plans. This change forces Een Hart Voor Vluchtelingen to look for a new space to continue its important work.
The city council has expressed concern over the owner’s decision. They have tried to help keep the project in the area, but their efforts have not worked. The organization is trying to find a new place while still supporting some of the most vulnerable people in society.
“A Heart for Refugees does beautiful and important work. We were able to convince the owner to give the non-profit organization an extra month to find an alternative location. That will not be easy,”
says Mayor Mathias De Clerca (Voor Gent).
What steps is Een Hart Voor Vluchtelingen taking to secure a new location in Ghent?
Een Hart Voor Vluchtelingen wants to keep helping asylum seekers. They are losing their current place and need to find a new location nearby. They have looked at an empty thrift store as a possible option. If that does not work out, they are thinking about using containers as a temporary solution.
“We are often the very last resort, quitting is never an option.”
Evelyne Hughe from the non-profit organization A Heart for Refugees
The organization is asking the community for help and says,
“All tips are welcome!”
The city of Ghent is helping Een Hart Voor Vluchtelingen find a new home. Mayor Mathias De Clercq and two other officials, Astrid De Brucker, and Hafsa El-Bazioui, are working together to find solutions. City services are giving support to help the organization move smoothly and keep running. The local government knows how important Een Hart Voor Vluchtelingen is for helping people in need. They are working together to make sure the organization can continue its work.
Mayor De Clercq also emphasizes that aldermen Astrid De Brucker (Voor Gent) and Hafsa El-Bazioui (Groen) said:
“The city services are supporting Een Hart Voor Vluchtelingen in the search so that the good functioning can be maintained.”
