Since Saturday evening, Red Cross volunteers have been present in Ter Apel to help asylum seekers, at the request of the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA). “The main need is for decent places to sleep. But we are also there for a shoulder to cry on.”
“Then you should think about mobile showers with a tent,” she says. “We also supply extra blankets, pillows, inflatable mattresses and toiletries such as soap and shampoo. We have volunteers present who help distribute the items and set up the cabins.”
The Red Cross started distributing the items on Saturday evening. Construction of the shower cabins and tent started on Sunday. “Some things still need to be done to make the structure suitable.”
What did the Red Cross find in Ter Apel? Van Houten: “A colleague of mine who is on location found it distressing to see that there are people who have had to spend the night in the waiting area, on chairs or on the floor for days.”
Director General of the IND Rhodia Maas previously also used the term ‘distressing’ to describe the situation.
The asylum center is overcrowded, the Red Cross notes. “The accommodation is not built for the number of people there now. This applies, for example, to the showers. You can imagine that this is not a pleasant situation for the people who have to stay in the waiting area there,” says Van Houten.
What is especially needed is a decent place to sleep. “If you sleep well, you often get through the day more easily. We also include that psychosocial aspect. A chat, a shoulder to cry on. Our volunteers are also present for that.”
It is still unclear how long the Red Cross will stay in Ter Apel. Van Houten: “If it were up to us, as long as possible, but that is a bit difficult to estimate. We are here at the invitation of the COA and they are in charge.”