Academic community helps out refugees in sports building

As soon as the university announced that it was going to welcome 200 refugees on campus, students set up all kinds of initiatives. Here is an overview of some of them.

Polak Building

Alissa Hoogenboezem (25) is very happy with the result of the collection fund, she and her friends set up Thursday night. On Friday, they collected lots of clothes, toiletries, medicines and toys. “So many students are stopping by. Some people even turned around when they saw us to buy extra stuff”, she said. Campus super market SPAR helped them out with crates and trolleys, and study association Cedo Nulli made their office available to store everything this weekend.

Antibarbari collects toys

Esther Vermaat, chairwoman of soccer club Antibarbari woke up early this morning because of a ringing telephone. “Jon de Ruijter, director of Erasmus Sports asked if we would open our doors today so people could drop off toys for the refugees. Naturally, we agreed.” Jeroen Wessel, one of the members of Antibarbarius was one of the first people who handed over a few bags filled with toys. “As soon as I heard about the fundraising I drove to my parents to select al the unused toys. All of us have items in our house that we don’t use anymore. Why not share these things with people that don’t have anything?

Associations collect stuff for Salvation Army

As soon as the arrival of refugees at the campus was confirmed, the R.K.v.V. (Chaimber of student associations Rotterdam) made a plan with all its associations to help. On Friday all six student associations opened their doors so anyone could hand in something. “Clothes, toys, or anything else that can be of use”, says Hester van Hall of the R.K.v.V. “Except for food, is what we promised the Salvation Army.” The R.K.v.V. will collect all these items this weekend and bring them to the Salvation Army.

Soccer in the sports building

On Friday afternoon, ten student volunteers were helping out in the sports building for the recreation programme. Youssef Amakran (23) was one of them. His goal for today was to let the kids smile, and he and his co-volunteers succeded: “We played soccer with the kids, which was a bit of chaotic. But they were smiling all the time.”