The dangers of migration
Mr. Moustapha Dia, a Senegalese, taught at the Diam Ly school where Sr. Victorine Bulangalire works. He was the eldest leader of the Maison du Quartier, and my close collaborator. He left for the Canary Islands, by boat. We have learned that he has died.
According to one of his friends who was travelling with him, Moustapha died on the 3rd day of the trip. The boat lost its way and was adrift for 12 days when it was found and rescued by the Canary Islands Red Cross (Spain) who took care of the survivors. Read more.
Hydra in Algiers and the Migrants
Sr Valérie participated in the Zoom meeting on sisters’ commitment against human trafficking. It was an enriching experience. She summarized it for the other sisters at the weekly community meeting. This opened up a long discussion on the local situations here in Algeria. Lire la suite →
Welcome and Solidarity Center at Agrigento (Sicilia – Italy)
Since 15th October 2019, we no longer have any direct activity with immigrants, because the Centre where we were allowed to meet with migrants has closed down. So, from that moment on « we found
ourselves without work ». We tried to go to other centres… but it was not possible. Two days a week I went to a soup kitchen frequented by poor local people as well as people from other countries of Africa
and elsewhere… Read more.
In the Fields of Booz : discussions with women during the lockdown
The 50 days of confinement with WhatsApp were for me an opportunity to marvel at the richness
of heart of the female asylum seekers of the Fields of Boaz Association, where I have usually been going two days a week for the past 8 years.
Here are some of their reactions to the first of my messages which included photos of the flowers in our garden. I wrote to them:
« Happy new day of lockdown! Nature is so beautiful that I share it with you ».
From her country in Africa, she went all the way to China to buy T-shirts ordered by the opponents of the re-election
of her country’s dictator. Threatened with death, she had to flee. Read more.
Day of African solidarity in Tunis
May 1st was a day filled with work and hope for migrants in Tunis. Radio Tunisienne Canal International (RTCI), and Radio Libre Francophone (RLF) Média, a structure created by young sub-Saharans in Tunisia to promote the French language and the culture of French-speaking countries in Tunisia, in partnership with the African Solidarity Unit COVID19 , which brings together all groups or associations of sub-Saharan Africans, and under the patronage of the Ministry of Human Rights in Tunisia, organized a historic day: « RTCI Day of African Solidarity for Migrants ». Read more.
Discovering the Migrant community in Algiers
Sr Hortencia Sizalanda has made many discoveries in her mission at Caritas Migrants Pole with her brothers and sisters on the migration route. She tells us about it:
I had to look for accommodation for four families, three ofthem staying at Caritas who have to leave the place because they have chosen Algeria as theirdestination country, so they are no longer in migration…the others are waiting their refugeestatus from the UNHCR. A Caritas exit project had to be made. Read more.
Care for migrants in Villeurbanne (France)
Marguerite Marie Luc ensures a weekly legal permanent presence for the reception of migrants within the framework of Cimade.
These migrants, from all countries, most of them rejected by the Asylum Law, come to meet with lawyers (volunteers) to study their case and try to find a way to have their rights recognized.
There is a crowd every time, and during each shift we receive 35 to 40 people, some of whom we have to send back because of a lack of lawyers. Read more.
Opening a Home for Migrants in Algiers
I am engaged in the project Caritas Algiers to work with migrants. On Ash Wednesday I experienced the move of some migrants who are in convalescence and are being cared for by Caritas. They have been living in the residence … Lire la suite → Publié dans Blog English, Info Migrants Eng, Sharing | Laisser un commentaire
Migrants Return from Algeria to their countries of origin
Every foreigner living in Algeria who does not have a valid visa risks going to prison and has to pay a fine. In no way can the person leave Algerian territory without having paid the fine and served the jail … Lire la suite → Publié dans Blog English, Info Migrants Eng, Sharing | Laisser un commentaire
MSOLA Commitments with Migrants in Bobo-Dioulasso
In the Diocese of Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso) On 19th January 2020, this year’s diocesan day for migrants and displaced persons was celebrated in the parish of St. Antoine de Yegueresso in Bobo Dioulasso where there are about 1500 persons displaced … Lire la suite →
Engagement avec les migrants en Tunisie
Amalia Aragón commence à découvrir le milieu migrant, principalement à travers les personnes qui fréquentent notre paroisse, ainsi que par les visites aux familles, en compagnie d’une sœur Salésienne. Lorsque Spéciosa est partie trois jours sur Sfax dans le cadre … Lire la suite →
Welcoming Ivorian migrants returning home
Speciosa Mukagatare, an MSOLA coordinator of Caritas Tunisia, was invited by the Italian Association of Volunteers for International Solidarity (AVSI) of Abidjan to participate in their Regional Conference on the socio-professional reintegration of Ivorians returning to their country after a painful migration. Speciosa spoke about the work Caritas Tunisia does with migrants. It is important migrants know about the difficulties they can encounter on the way: how the desert and the sea can kill, the existence of torture camps in countries like Tunisia, Libya, etc…. Read more.
At Christmas
During our Christmas meal the doorbell rang. The one who opened the door found four mothers, victims of terrorist attacks in the village of Koungoussi. Sr.Mariette invited us to prepare some food to share with these women while she got some cool water to offer them.
It was pitiful ! These women were very tired after having travelled 100 km on foot. Some couldn’t even put on their shoes properly because they had foot injuries. Sylviane Rouamba, who understands the moore language, translated for us. They told us how they had been grouped together in the courtyard of the Moogho Naaba. They only came to our house to ask for some food and some clothes. Read more.
Our sisters from Canada meet with Africans
The Sisters of Ottawa community The Argyle Center has developed a « community connections program « that encourages social, cultural and professional ties between new arrivals and the established community. The Center offers a wide range of services and activities to … Lire la suite →
Migration from domestic work from Africa to West Asia
GAATW, The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women has started a project, together with the International Domestic Workers Federation, to document the experiences of women from six African countries who migrate for domestic work to West Asia. The field work involved several groups of respondents: potential and returnee migrant domestic workers, their families, recruitment agencies and brokers (formal and informal), trade unions and NGOs supporting migrant domestic workers, and government officials. In March the project team met to discuss the progress of the field research, reflect on the research process, and build the national researchers’ capacity in data analysis and report-writing. Reade more.
Teaching Spanish through Arabic in Logroño (Spain)
As a volunteer at Caritas I visit a residence for priests two mornings a week. We visit the priests in their rooms, always in pairs. We listen to them, bring them some news and provide them with the services they … Lire la suite →
Pumpkin Festival with migrants in Ottawa
the Pumpkin they have crafted.
At the end October 2018, a smiling and eager staff and a festive atmosphere awaited us at the Centre for Migrants and Refugees in Ottawa. There were about 60 of us, men, women and children. All of a sudden each … Lire la suite →
Absence of migrants at the Oran Library in Algeria
An intensification of the systematic expulsion of migrants has resulted in the absence of some faithful participants in the Reading Club at the Library on the fourth Thursday of each month. One Togolese man who has been with us for … Lire la suite →
Tunis facing migration
Tunisia is facing problems of migration more than ever before. Speciosa Mukagatare must often travel south to Sfax to arrange housing for those who cross the border with Libya. A conference, for which Speciosa looked after the logistics, brought together … Lire la suite →
©-Vatican-Media
Pope Francis sent a message to the 8th World Social Forum on Migrants. The Pope took the opportunity to encourage the “positive transforma-tion” of society so as to give a voice to the voiceless.
He mentions that the “positive transforma-tion” of society is based on the rejection of injustice. Opposition to the “throwaway culture”, is the “first act of justice”. He continues. « Among the voiceless are migrants and refugees, those whom society ignores, exploits, rapes and abuses through “the guilty silence of many”. Read more.
UN agrees first-ever Global Compact on migration
special event for the approval of text for a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration, at UN Headquarters in New York, 13 July 2018.
For the first time ever, United Nations Member States have agreed an all-encompassing Global Compact to better manage international migration, address its challenges, strengthen migrant rights and contribute to sustainable development.
After more than a year of discussions and consultations among Member States, local officials, civil society and migrants themselves, the text of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration was finalized on Friday. Read more.
Uganda solidarity summit on refugees
The World Refugee Day is observed on 20th June to honour the strength and determination of migrants who flee their motherland due to conflict, fear of persecution, famine and violence. This year, a refugee solidarity summit organised by the Government of Uganda & UNHCR has been convened in Kampala to pave way for solutions to the increasing influx of refugees in Uganda.
Uganda remains the second largest refugee hosting country globally after Turkey with over 1,252,470 refugees. Read more.
15 years of migration in 15 mesmerizing maps
Since 2015 Europe talks often about the huge flow of migrants. But, what does that flow actually look like compared to the rest of the world?
Earth TimeLapse, an interactive platform created by Muggah and Carnegie Mellon University, details over a 16-year span from 2000 to 2015 where migrants are leaving and arriving.
Data comes from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Each red dot represents 17 refugees arriving in a country, while yellow dots represent refugees leaving their home country behind.
The resulting maps are nothing short of mesmerizing. See the maps and notes.
Réseau Justice, Paix, Intégrité de la Création, Rencontre et Dialogue des SMNDA 