We have all been touched by stories of refugees travelling to Europe. Over the next year and a half, Delft is expecting 6.000 Refugees to join our community, and these families have encountered tremendous struggles that are almost unimaginable. As part of the
Delft MaMa SLiDe (Soft Landing in Delft) Project, Delft Mamas have been sharing their well-known kindness and compassion to the newcoming Refugee Mamas and Families in Delft. Warm-hearted volunteers have organized activities for refugee children at events including the
Taste! Christian Community Delft “Welkoms Maaltijd”, the Taste! Dutch Conversation Club, and in the future we will also provide support for the
Dutch Up Your Life “New to Delft” Workshops that will soon start in Tanthof.
Taste! Community Welkoms Maaltijd
Taste! organizes a “Welkoms Maaltijd”, an event aimed at welcoming the past month’s Refugees who’ve just arrived in Delft, which is usually 30-40 people. This meal and presentations at the Taste! introduces the newcomers to the initiatives that are going on in Delft, including Delft MaMa Playgroups, Dutch Up Your Life “New to Delft” Workshops, Delft Buddy System called DelftseBuur on Facebook and Delft for Elkaar.
Delft MaMa has partnered with Taste! to offer Children Activities and Child Care during this meal. We’ve already had two wonderful events in March, April and May where Delft MaMa volunteers entertained refugee children, along with DMM children, making pipe cleaner crowns, decorating cupcakes, coloring, playing with play-dough, playing ping-pong and other outdoor games, and teaching yoga. All events were full of beautiful moments and both children and the volunteers left with smiles on their faces.
One of our Delft MaMa families also brought along a jazz pianist who provided wonderful background music and singing, making the event feel even more warm and joyous!
Next Dates:
June 4, 2016
Time: Saturdays, 13:00-15:00
Business Owners:
Taste! gives out gift bags to Refugees who attend the Welkoms Maaltijd. If you would like to include a voucher / free gift for these newcomers to Delft, contact Arjan at Taste info AT tastedelft DOT nl.
Taste! Friday Dutch Conversation Club
Taste! organizes a Dutch Conversation Club every Friday from 16:00-17:00. These are often attended by Refugee families. There often are a few children who attend with their mothers, who have a hard time concentrating on learning the language. One Delft Mama has started to volunteer to run children’s activities alongside the Conversation Club, and because she has experience with teaching Dutch to children, the children have also started to learn Dutch!
“New to Delft” Workshop by Dutch Up Your Life
Dutch Up Your Life will begin to offer their workshop “New to Delft” to the Refugees who have already begun to arrive in Delft.
We are looking for volunteers to help with children’s activities during the workshop, to allow parents and families to attend. The workshop will take place on a weekday, for 3 hours.
Other Initiatives
Music Makers: The Welkoms Maaltijd welcomes music makers of all genres. Contact Nina Bogerd at nina DOT bogerd AT gmail DOT com.
New Initiatives? Join us!
Are you interested in starting your own initiative for Refugees, and you want to use the support of the Delft Mama Community? Join us in welcoming these families into the Delft community and our Delft MaMa community with open arms. To become involved through donation of time, music-making, money or craft supplies, or other ideas, please contact Nina Bogerd.
And for more ways to welcome refugees to Delft, there is information on the DelftMama
website and on the greater Delft Community Facebook Page
“Welkom in Delft”.
Please join us in sharing your kindness and compassion!
Johanna & Nina
Johanna Nesbitt is the volunteer coordinator for Refugee Projects at Delft MaMa. She has lived in Delft for almost 10 years, and is the mother of a 4 (and a half!) year old son, and expectant mother of a baby girl. She is a coach and trainer at Open the Door, who also loves to give time to important causes like these.
Nina Bogerd has been greatly involved in helping refugees/migrants locally and globally. She regularly travels to crisis locations at the Balkans where she focuses on providing help primarily to families, and in particular, to mothers and babies/kids. Furthermore, with the help of other Delft Mamas, she is participating in a monthly organised Welkom’s Lunch for refugees that come to live in Delft. Nina is a scientist, specialised in thermal physiology, holding a post-doc position at TU Delft. She is a mother of two amazing boys. She enjoys discovering new countries, and she loves being active outdoor. In the evenings, when the business of the day is over, she immensely enjoys reading a good book or speaking with friends she has made while living in various countries.
Related
No kids, no talents, but a willingness to help. Can you use me?
Hi Joe,
Great news! In order to become a volunteer, please kindly fill in the application form on our website and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Thanks,
Delft MaMa
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