Refugees

Integration on the field

Many migrant workers are on duration of stay in Germany. You have to integrate is the challenge of the next years and decades. Private garden-projects for refugees to show how Integration can look like.

Relaxed get-together in the “Together-and that garden root work” in Kevelaer

What to do with a completely zugewucherten, savage family’s domain? “As a result, I make a garden, and one for refugees,” said Jan van Meegern, a business economist from the lower Rhine town of Kevelaer. “We had hedges pruning brambles clearing, the ground umpflügen, a wooden fence build and raised beds to build.” In addition, there were a barbecue area, the garden shed made of wood, and a stand for bee colonies from Imkerverein. Everything from Hand-built. For the many helpers and refugees, there was a lot to do.

Launch of the “Together-and that garden root work” in Kevelaer, Germany was in February, 2015. And directly with it was Nuor Aldalati. Horticultural experience had the Syrians not yet. “I came from Damascus and had there an operation for electrical engineering, until I because of the war, had to flee,” says the 52-Year-old. With friend Omar, he was in last summer, almost every day in the garden, to the Right to see, and the raised beds to pour. Five are in it so far, up to fifteen more are expected in the course of the spring to come, because this year in the garden really took off.

Nuor Aldalati (left) and Jan van Meegern want in “Together-and that garden root work” in Kevelaer still fifteen more raised beds to build

This Jan van Meegern with the donations already creating a whole lot of wood concerned. “The raised beds should be tall, one Meter fifty times two metres fifty, so that one right there economies,” says the 29-Year-old. And the Plan is that becoming a refugee and a supporter together a raised bed to take care of. So both sides are automatically in contact and take along responsibility. About a dozen supporters, van Meegern previously gained, and even more refugees have already participated. At the Moment is the fluctuation, however, large. Because as soon as the residence was secured, triggered by refugees in larger cities. In Kevelaer are hardly suitable rental housing.

Model Townships in Cape town

But how does a late twenty-somethings without any horticultural experience as a project idea? “The initial impetus was the visit in Cape town, South Africa, in the Townships,” said Jan van Meegern. He had seen, such as common vegetables planted, to the population and provide Surpluses to sell. He had asked how to eat here because the refugees with the a few money in the pocket? With the garden in Kevelaer, Germany should not only be inclusive but also foods such as fruit, salad and vegetables.

Many volunteers set the Foundation for the shed

Students reasons to garden

It is estimated that around
500 community gardens in Germany, mainly as part of the Urban Gardening movement understand. Especially urban brownfield sites should be landscaped areas to be used. Many have the attribute “intercultural” or “international”. Migrants and refugees are not only encouraged, but actively recruited.

And there are other gardens, such as, for example, in Bielefeld, Germany. There want to be activists of the student network Enactus this spring in the courtyard of a large Flüchtlingsheimes a garden build. “The refugees are bored, want a occupation”, says Ivan Luganov of Enactus. There are small flower beds to be created, where currently only grass grows, and some raised beds; Seating areas and BBQ facilities included. Over the long run the support of the project by a social worker and a Caritas staff secured, so Luganov.

Refugees, missing the gardens in your home

As pioneers at the community gardens in Germany are the “International gardens of Göttingen” – founded in 1996 by ten German and two German families. One of the reasons: Many of the Newcomers missed the gardens of her home. But it was also to help neighborhood bookings, family care, and the joint celebrations of Festivals. Man of the first hour was agricultural engineer Tassew Shimeles, the Integration of refugees is a particular concern: “I myself am in 1980 as a refugee from Ethiopia came to Germany and, therefore, knows what that’s like.” 62 members are today in the society, as the Chairman Shimeles. About 200 people took advantage of the gardens on a regular basis. All in all, it will give the Association “a competence in 19 languages.

In community gardens refugees can your own vegetables

But how on the strong influx of refugees to react? Only recently have the Vereinsbeschluss given, together to be active. Interested parties are now divided into groups: engineers from Libya are in a artisan group encountered, some Syrians are the beekeepers to learn and women have the Kochgruppe connected. “We will also free up capacity for more garden plots. Also, have the six members agreed, in Flüchtlingsheimen to translate and migrants, public authorities, and visits to the doctor to accompany them,” says Shimeles. Everything is done on a voluntary basis, for which, however, also a weakness. The Elan can also use the time dry up: “What if the enthusiasm wears off and the desire to get involved?”

Support by full-time hoped for

Therefore, we have funding from foundations in the country, and in the community. The hope is that full-time can be set, which is sustainable to the Integration of newcomers to take care of. “Especially the local communities benefit from our commitment to the most,” says the 60-Year-old and hopes to appropriate support.

Funding is granted, it should, among other things, craft courses for young, unemployed men. You see Göttingen as a pilot project, so Tassew Shimeles. Once everything is up and Running come, could be other community gardens as a kind of blueprint to serve as public money in a sensible integration is the to invest. Ideas could Shimeles and his comrades certainly enough.