This is a gap that we are attempting to fill with The Refugee Journal.

We are pleased to share with the Brussels Express community and exclusive early release of our new “Refugee Journal” this magazine has been created for you by the Refugees who attend our programs in Lebanon and Brussels.

The vision of the journal is to serve as a platform for the individuals in our community to share with each other and the work their thoughts, skills and talents – putting the power of the narrative about refugees back into their hands.

Here is an excerpt from a young girl at the Bukra Ahla centre in Beirut writing a letter to her future self:

“So, even with all the impediments in your life, and in your education, you overcome it by trusting yourself, and by the people who you support ,who give you strength and hope. So , trust in yourself, and just be yourself, and tell yourself who encouraged you, and who gave you all kinds of love. You’re the creative girl in the world not the failure.”

By clicking on the link you will have access to the full content of our first issue. This inaugural issue features primarily the voices of the youth that we support in Brussels and in Lebanon, in honor of them and International YOUTH Day.

Every two months we will be releasing a new edition. All of the content has been curated by our colleagues in Lebanon that work closely with our community in paying attention to every last detail. The magazine is composed of experiences, customs and creative expressions of the youth and women we work with. We will be including different types of material including, art, writing, photos, crafts, recipes.

Not only can you enjoy the work shared in the Journal, in this digital format it is something that the women and youth can be proud of and share with their friends and family.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed the process of creating this unique journal for you!

The post Exclusive early release of The Refugee Journal appeared first on Brussels Express.

Helping people in need

Are you ready to clean out your closet? —You must have a lot of clothes that you don’t wear anymore, and you might be looking to revamp your wardrobe. While you are in the process of cleaning out your closet you are probably wondering what to do with all that clothes. Before throwing it in the trash—consider donating them!

Even though you might be tired of wearing those clothes, We can guarantee you that someone else will be happy to wear them a second life by giving it to refugees that need them. Your donations will make a difference, while if you decide to throw them away, you lose the chance of teaching those who need them the most.

This time in addition to clothes, we’re you can also donate powdered milk or Food Supplements as well as baby and adult dipers for the great amount of babies living there, or crutches as they could be of great use for the people in the centers.

It is very easy, just make a request to the CLOTHESUP project through any of our social media or contact this number +32 471 07 80 86. Once you make the request our team will pick up donations and any place of your convenience. You can also bring the donations to our office: Rue de Progrès 231

If you wish to make a monetary donation to help us cover the 5200 Euro cost to transport and distribute the container, do a money transfer to our account:

CBC Bank: BE42 7320 3907 1954

What DO we accept?

• Any sort of clothes, both for winter and summer seasons, mainly for women and children, but also for men
• Underwear
• Bed sheets and blankets
• Shoes and socks
• Gloves, scarfs
• Soft or plush toys, and (books) children books, new notebooks, books that have not been written in

What do we NOT accept? 

• Torn or dirty clothing items
• Furniture
• Electronic devices
• Plastic toys and toys with battery or functioning with electricity

If you’d like to donate these types of items, consider bringing them to your local Les Petits Riens.

For those lining in Waterloo Wavre Louvain la-Neuve. And nearby you can also drop your donations at VitàNet Sprl, Grand’Route 236, 1428 Lillois.

Read more about SB OverSeas and make a request for pick up!

The post Give care show care: New campaign to send 25 tons of clothes to refugee camps at the Turkish border appeared first on Brussels Express.

I while ago I read Greg Mortenson’s famous book, Three cups of tea and a phrase stuck in my mind. He states that if you really want a make a real long-lasting change in a society, you need to start with the girls. To improve basic hygiene and sanitations standards as well as high children mortality rates you need to start by educating girls. Women stay in their societies, become the leader and pillars of a society; when you educate a girl you are in the long term educating her whole society.

As the International Day of Girl Child approaches, I have been thinking a lot of what this means not only for us International organizations like SB OverSeas working on the field but also for researchers, scholars, families and communities in general.

According to UNESCO,  130 million girls between the age of 6 and 17 are out of school and 15 million girls of primary-school age—half of them in sub-Saharan Africa— will never enter a classroom. There are many variables as of why girls face several barriers when accessing education, this includes poverty, cultural norms and practices, violence and fragility among others. However today I want to stress about a very relevant issue that has a direct impact on girls education: early marriage.

According to different studies highlighted by Girls Not Brides, one of SB Overseas’ main partners when working to prevent child marriage, every year, 12 million girls are married globally before the age of 18.  Evidence shows that girls who attend secondary school are three times less likely to be child brides, they also have better economic prospects, fewer and healthier children, and are more likely to ensure that their own children are not married before 18.

More attention needs to be given to girls’ education in providing job-relevant skills and training to enable them to participate in the workforce and to move from dreaming to achieving a better future. SB OverSeas has been implementing this approach for years, and we have seen the effect it has had on the girls in our community. By providing psychological support in our centers, and combining this with education and our « empowerment workshops » we have been able to prevent an early marriage in some cases and restore the confidence and give a future to those girls who had already been married.

But you do not need to leave your country to help address this problem, there are many ways in which you can devote a little bit of your time and effort to empower girls around the world. You can start by raising awareness about this situation, teaching your children and community about these realities to start making a generational change. You can also join as a volunteer or help by donating to a local NGO such as SB OverSeas who are working with refugee women here that have experienced early marriage and are looking for education and opportunities in your country.

Change starts by us even if it is small it has the power to change the mentalities, just help us help.

To learn more about child marriage and to read more stories from girls themselves, go to our website and read our “Just Married” comic series, and be up to date on the advocacy efforts of Girls Not Brides.

The post What does the International day of girl mean for you? appeared first on Brussels Express.

For this cycle, we recruited a new enthusiastic group of volunteers that will be joining us that we met last  weekend at our training and awareness day.

For us, it is mandatory for them to attend a training before starting the activities and from the questions and the reactions we got during this training, I realized even more the importance of training. It has come to my attention, however, that not all of the asylum authorities in the country have received training in regards to unaccompanied minors arriving to the country.

Working with refugees means, quite often, that you will come face-to-face with the realities of those who are suffering acute trauma and loss apart from just their physical displacement; in the case of these young people, it’s a result of the migration journey that they’ve made on their own. As noted in the report done by UNHCR regarding unaccompanied minors, most members of the police have not receive training in regards to the specific needs and protections  of young people. These individuals are often the first point of contact in Belgium and the ones that have to signal the presence of a minor and their vulnerability. Although it is important to point out that in most cases they have received training on the thematic of victims, specially of human trafficking, it is still alarming that even though the number of young people arriving to the country have been multiplying in the previous years, there is still no specific training on the subject.

These young people on the move must go through a series of interviews and assessments in order to be identified as minors and to receive their right of protection from the state. It is understandable that these processes pose a challenge, administrative procedures are not the easiest to understand. However, many of the tutors that the minors been assigned, say that when government officials have received training and know how to approach minors and help them understand the process using easier terminology, hand signals and other tools, there is a significant difference on the way the youth responds and makes them feel more welcome to the country.

It is important for everyone who works with refugees to receive training, this facilitates not only the administrative processes of asylum seeking but also it helps starting a healing and adaptation process into the county. Without professional guidance how can we start building?

The post Professional training a way to build resilience for refugees and for those working with them appeared first on Brussels Express.

Young refugees are systematically being detained at the border upon arrival to Belgium because of a lack of sufficient assessment at the border/ There is no vulnerability assessment procedure before being detained, so their vulnerability is not always known to the asylum authorities. The rights afforded to minors only apply once the Belgian authorities have decided there is enough evidence to prove that they are in fact minors. According to a UNHCR report published early this year plastic handcuffs are often used by the police while they wait their transfer to an Observation and Orientation Center. This is an example of the extent to which they are treated as criminals and not as individuals who should be protected by the law.

The identification process starts when one of the competent authorities signal the presence of a minor. Currently all competent authorities can cast doubt on the age of any youth. Once this doubt is signaled they will have to go through an age assessment process which consists on scans of a person’s teeth, wrist and clavicle. It is important to note that the accuracy of this medical test is not very high as it has a margin of error of 2 years. The results of this procedures take on average 2 weeks, during this waiting period the youth will not receive a guardian or special protection from the state, at this point the youth has already been in Brussels for more than a week but will not receive any protection until proven minor.

An applicant can appeal the age assessment if they find that it is not accurate, but during this time they are either detained or sheltered in a center of observation and orientation. The procedure to appeal the result on this assessment would have to be submitted by the youth, without the guidance of a guardian since in this case he does not have the right to one. This fact has make this process real challenge for them.

The politicization of the age is a dominant feature of the policy discourse in Belgium. It does not give the benefit of the doubt to any of the youth who arrive in the country. On the contrary it puts them through the procedure of having to proof their age to receive protection from the state. Should protection and guidance be given only under western understandings of childhood though an exam that has been proven to be inaccurate, or should there be a holistic approach that considers an amalgamation of different factors to determine the need or protection? And, shouldn’t we give these underage minors the benefit of the doubt and treat them as such until proven to be adults?

The post Guilty until proven minors  appeared first on Brussels Express.

This week we participated in a conference organized by the UNHCR and the platform for underage children in exile (Plate-forme mineurs en exil ). Scholars, public entities, NGOs and the tutors who guide the young migrants in their asylum process gathered together to discuss the ways in which we can all work together towards an adequate protection of young people on the move.

During the event it became clear that since 2015 the number of unaccompanied minors (Mineurs en exile non-accompangne, or MENA) , coming from different countries and backgrounds, arriving to Europe has increased. Moreover, even though the international convention on the rights to the child, gives these minors the right to special protection due to their vulnerability, it is clear that those rights and support are being impeded.

The discussion highlighted some of the main challenges that these young people on the move face in Europe.  Firstly, police officers who are the first contact of the MENA with the country have not received specific training that can help them have a more amicable entry and recognition as minors in the country.

After they arrive to the country more than half of this youth face a second challenge: proving they are indeed underage. In 2018, out of the 4,407 children who were initially reported as minors 2,455 (more than 50%) were subject to the process of proving that they were under the age of 18. This process is done by the authorities in order to identify if indeed they are minors, and therefore eligible to receive a special protection and support under the convention on the rights of the child and EU protections for individuals under the age of 18.

Most of the MENA that arrived in Belgium last year were between 16 and 17 years old, young people who will age out of the protection regime in 1 or 2 years. This situation requires a long-term strategy in place to prepare them for the moment when they turn 18. In 1 or 2 years, most will become “young adults” before having received a response for their asylum request, but they will no longer be legally considered a child. This age distinction means that they face an uncertain future, with fewer protections, the chance to lose their status, and therefore their international protection.

70% of the young people in this group suffer depression, as many were forced to leave their families and love ones behind, among other emotional pressures of being an adolescent. After a long journey where they encountered countless difficulties they finally arrive to this new country where they are alone and the language, culture, customs, etc  are different. Reason why it is extremely important to offer them psychological and social support that can help them manage the post-traumatic stress and other consequences derive from this reality. During SB Espoir activities with the youth we focus on helping them integrate into the Belgian society taking into account all of this factors so that they can start feeling this new country as their home.

Even years after a traumatic experience as an adolescent, as an adult the level of trauma for these individuals often remains high in that day-to-day situations and activities can be triggers of trauma. There are different ways in which we can provide them with support and it is important to recognize that many Belgian organizations such as FEDASIL have implemented a “Buddy” program to help with this situation. However the access to specialized help continues to be a problem for them.

This is only a small sample of the challenges and issues related to the migration journey of a Minor in Europe and especially in Belgium There is still a lack of awareness on their reality and needs, even though measures have been develop there is still a long way to go to attain a holistic approach from all organizations with professional and trained personnel.

The post Towards an adequate protection of young people on the move in Belgium appeared first on Brussels Express.

As an officially multilingual country, something that’s plainly evident when you walk the streets of Brussels: it’s not uncommon to hear Turkish or Arabic spoken, maybe with a bit of a French fusion. This years UNESCO’s International Literacy Day celebrated on September 8 Focused on the theme of “Literacy and Multilingualism,” and brought us to re-think what it means to be multilingual.

For a major European city such as Brussels, most people expect individuals who live in these urban centres to be multilingual.

But could the same be expected of those who live outside of Europe in places that are not urban centres? Would you expect the same from a young man living in a small village in Afghanistan? Would you expect him to also be multilingual?

Most likely, he knows at least two languages, perhaps Pashto and Dari (which is a version of Farsi). Perhaps he enjoys watching Bollywood movies, so he’s also picked up on some Urdu. Perhaps he is Muslim, so he’s been taught to read in Modern Standard Arabic.

With just those skills, he can communicate with about half a billion people.

Say he leaves Afghanistan and picks up some English from other people on his way to Europe—that’s about 1.5 billion more people. One day he arrives to Belgium and studies French – 220 million more people, for a total of about 2.2 billion people that he can communicate with around the world.

How many people can say that—I certainly can’t; with my trilingualism (English, French and Greek) I barely scratch the 1.7 billion people mark. As an American, I’m also a bit of a rare breed in term of language capacity, the same cannot be said about the many multi-lingual Europeans—our volunteers for SB Espoir alone speak 18 different languages. Every day in the office at SB,  we’re not only French and English speakers, my colleagues are expressing themselves in their mother tongue of Spanish, Portuguese or Arabic.

For SB Espoir, we maintain this value and try to celebrate the multi-lingualism during our activities with the young people, girls and women who live in Red Cross and Fedasil accommodation centres in Brussels.

While we mostly speak English and French, we also try to engage in workshops in Dari, Spanish, Kurdish or Arabic, for example—particularly for the centres where individuals have just arrived.

We realize that out of the world of languages, French and English are just a small sliver. However, we still encourage learning French and Flemish as additional languages that are useful for integration in the Belgian culture and assets to enter to work stream to adapt and take part in this new country because there’s nothing like being able to express yourself with the perfect phrase that’s unique to a language.

The post Migration and Multilingualism: Encouraging diverse linguistic inclusion  appeared first on Brussels Express.

Want to make an impact on your community? Whether you’re a native Bruxellois, or have just arrived in Brussels for study and work, you can engage with the community in supporting young refugees during our weekend activities.

SB OverSeas, a nonprofit organization working in Belgium and Lebanon, assisting those escaping conflicts through education and empowerment programs all while providing aid and raising awareness of the humanitarian crisis. Since 2015, we have been active supporting refugees in Brussels, from working with young people arriving to Park Maximillian on an ad-hoc and needs-based basis to now the SB Espoir project that works directly in the accommodation centres that host young asylum-seeking minors and women, conducting life skills and psychosocial support activities that support them for their new life in Brussels.

As an SB Espoir volunteer, you will be participating in our activities during the weekends, this range from sporting to life skills training to arts and crafts. These activities focus on team building and skills training, this way we can support the youth’s inclusion in their new home and develop their skills. However, they not only develop the youth’s skills but also those of our volunteers as it will push you out of your comfort zone working with people from all over the world coming from very different backgrounds which will test your intercultural and communication skills.

Don’t hesitate to apply it is a unique experience to bring hope to other people while challenging yourself. Experience with working with youth and/or working in a refugee setting is highly appreciated; individuals that speak Spanish, Pashto, Dari/Farsi, Arabic and Kurdish are encouraged to apply.

If you wish to apply to volunteer with us, bear in mind that we require a commitment for at least 3 months (October- December), you need to be available to come to the activities at least two weekend afternoons per month. The position to all of those looking to make a difference and grow exponentially.

We will be receiving applications until the 19^th of September. If you wish to know more about this application just go to our website or send as an email to volunteers@sboverseas.org. We will be happy to help!

The post Looking to volunteer? Join SB Espoir & give hope to refugees in your community appeared first on Brussels Express.

If you are passionate about communications, learning how an NGO works and working in the field with people on the move, then we are looking for someone just like you, don’t hesitate to apply to our paid internship position!

As you might already know SB OverSeas is a non-profit organization which is based in Belgium and dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to refugees and victims of conflict. We work in two geographical focus areas: Lebanon and Belgium, following four main activities, Education, Emergency aid, empowerment and awareness.

In Lebanon, we distribute emergency aid and run educational and empowerment programs in our tree centres based in Arsal, Beirut and Saida. In Belgium, we work with unaccompanied minors and women in order to foster integration in three reception and transit centers.

A position as communication Intern just opened in our head Quarters in Brussels. As intern, you will develop and implement our communication plan, help in the social media exposure among other tasks, you will also have the opportunity to represent us in different meetings, conferences and workshops.

We are looking for Individuals who are motivated to see pass the narratives, listen to the voices of those affected and work together with refugees in different contexts and have their voices heard. We require someone who is highly motivated, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Development and at least 2 years of communication Experience. As the intern will be writing press releases and newsletter excellent writing and presentation skills are a must.

You can find the Job Listing on our website

Please send your CV and a short cover letter to jobs@sboverseas.org. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at the above email address, or by phone at +32 2 377 8908.

The post Have communications experience? Join the SB OverSeas team appeared first on Brussels Express.

Are you moving to a new apartment, got a new job or cleaning out your closet after coming back from your holiday?

These changes will be reflected in your wardrobe. It’s not practical to bring every single piece of clothing you own, so make use of this opportunity to de-clutter.

Summer is over and now that we are all back from our holidays is time to get on with work again! So…we need your help!

Winter is due to start in a couple of months and cold months are about to begin, so refugees living in our centers in Lebanon will face soon harsh conditions.  Your contribution can make a great difference in their lives. Winter will be difficult for these refugees, so your donations will be a great act to make that winter warm for them, and the will be ready for this winter.

This time in addition to clothes, we’re looking specifically for donations of powdered milk for the great amount of babies living there, or crutches as they could be of great use for the people in the centers.

The only thing you have to do is make a request through the CLOTHESUP project and we will pick up the donation of 5-6 bags (60 litre size) in any place at your convenience.

What DO we accept?

Any sort of clothes, both for winter and summer seasons, mainly for women and children, but also for men

Underwear

Bed sheets and blankets

Shoes and socks

Gloves, scarfs

Soft or plush toys

What do we NOT accept? 

Torn or dirty clothing items

Furniture

Electronic devices

Plastic toys and toys with battery or functioning with electricity

If you’d like to donate these types of items, consider bringing them to your local Les Petits Riens.

And for people who living( Waterloo Wavre Louvain la-Neuve ) And nearby areas we have another center to drop them off the addressee is VitàNet Sprl, Grand’Route 236, 1428 Lillois.

Read more about SB OverSeas and make a request for pick up!

The post End-of-Summer cleaning: Donate your unused clothes for refugees to prepare for winter appeared first on Brussels Express.