Tent City Brussels

In Tent City it is mostly men b/c women and children are given a bed in a building immediately

Refugee Tent City Brussels.  It opened on Sept 5th.  The idea is that you only spend a night or two in the Tent City until you are assigned a dorm inside of a building.  The border has now been closed and they hope to close Tent City by the end of the month.

'Medicine of the World'.  Migrant camping reception.

They built walkways from the wooden planks of packing crates.  It was brilliant b/c it has been raining nonstop

'We are equal b/c we are different.  Against the immigrant and economic politics.  Join the fight for those without papers.'

It turned cold.  Coats, and rain gear were the most needed.

Here is where they were putting together the walkways.  Can't read arabic....

The food tent.  They had a 'cafeteria' that provided food all day. The whole tent city is run by volunteers!   I didn't have my camera with me the first day but I wish I had a picture of the volunteer Frite Truck who had a line of men about 10 men wide and 50 men deep.  Welcome to Brussels! 

Our first day we helped out at the Red Cross (passing out food, answering questions, keeping things 'calm') Very organized.  Each person had a paper with a date and time for their interview.  No rushing at the door.  You are seen when you have an appointment.  I was impressed.

The second day we were in the clothing tent.  Finding clothes, coats, etc for the individual is a challenge.  Tons of donations, but hard to find what they need in the right size. The sorting of all those donations needs a huge team and a much bigger tent!   I helped women/children and my friend helped the men.  It was a small space so you had to take a number and they would let in 4 or 5 at a time while the others stood in line, mostly in the rain.

Tent City Brussels Sept 2015.  Almost all of them are from Syria.