International Organization student Emelie de Wagt is happy. The event was a great success, she says. She and her friends – one other Dutch student, four from Germany and one from Saudi Arabia – raised over €100. And they really need it.

Once a month they go to the Immigration Centre in Delfzijl to help the asylum seekers who live there. ‘We give CV workshops and Dutch lessons,’ she says.

But the trip to Delfzijl costs money. And they also want to buy Dutch language books to use when teaching the asylum seekers.

But money wasn’t the only reason for the waffle party. The students also need help from students who speak Arabic, Somali or Farsi. ‘The asylum seekers often don’t speak English or Dutch, which makes communication really hard. We need people who can translate.’

Yesterday two new volunteers applied, a girl from Russia and one from the Netherlands. ‘No, she can’t translate. But we also need people who can teach!’, says De Wagt.

Interested in helping? Visit Emelie and her friends at the Sife-website or like them on Facebook.

March 19 2013

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