Migration and refugees in Europe

The Order’s commitment

   

What is the Order in Europe doing about the migration and refugeeemergency? This is a question of was thoroughly debated at the 2016 European RegionalConference in Sorrento, Italy. Recently, the Curia has been trying to collectmore precise data, and the picture which is emerging shows that in Europe, theOrder is doing much more than has been publicised by the Provinces and by our Centres.

 

In Europe, 10 of the Order’s 11 Provinces are committed toimplementing specific projects to provide care to migrants and refugees. Morespecifically, the Order has 50 European centres providing aid and assistance tomigrants and refugees. In addition to these specific projects, health care isprovided in the Order’s hospitals as a matter of routine. There are no precisefigures available in this latter instance. Only 23 of the 50 projects formigrants and refugees receive government support or help from otherorganisations. Everything else is wholly financed by the Order. One very positivefigure is the fact that 19 of the 50 projects are being implemented incooperation with other organisations.

 

In summary:

 

Province

Donations to other organisations

Projects solely run by the Order

Projects in cooperation

Financial assistance from government or others

Persons assisted

Total

1

31

19

23

5,800 c.

 

 

The figure for the number of people assisted (about 5800) mustcertainly be multiplied because we do not have any exact figures on the numbersof migrants and refugees who come to our outpatient departments. Oneinteresting fact in this regard is that one hospital has published specificguides in several languages for migrants and refugees on the use of ourservices. A similar guide has also been prepared for the care staff.

 

The main areas in which the Order is providing help and assistanceto migrants and refugees are:

 

Vocationaltraining. 7 centres of the Order are running specific programmes to helpmigrants and refugees to acquire the basic notions to be able to embark on avocational training course.

 

Housing,integration, language lessons. There are 30 centres performingwork of this kind.

 

Noteworthyinitiatives. One centre is offering free legal advice to migrants andrefugees. One centre is welcoming refugees in a reception camp on the Greekisland of Chio. Three centres are running specific programmes to improve socialcohesion and integration between the local people and migrants and refugees(initiatives with the participation of both the local people and the migrantsand refugees themselves). 



 

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