The 12 residents of the former nursing home De Meermin in Edam are very frightened. At the beginning of this week, they received a letter that accommodation for the Ukrainian refugees will be provided in their building. They are there anti-squat and should go. Where to was not clear. They also have nowhere else to go, because they are anti-squat for a reason. This is all they can afford.
On the sofa of her two-room flat, Kaylle reports on a turbulent week. All kinds of men are working around her to, among other things, make the sockets safe for small, grabbing children’s fingers. Kaylle: “I have to get out of here and go to a room downstairs this weekend. A lot smaller. I also have a kitchen, shower and toilet here. I’ll have to go to the hallway for that. I’m going to step back a lot.”
She takes that for granted and she didn’t have a choice. Because according to her, a few days ago it looked like she had to leave. Now all twelve residents have to go to the ground floor side by side. The dozens of other rooms are for the reception.
Noise disturbance
Kaylle is certainly not against the reception of refugees, only she finds it strange that she almost had to leave her home. A spokesperson for the municipality of Edam-Volendam denies that this was the case. At the moment everything is being done to be able to receive the refugees – women and children – after the weekend. Kyalle hopes things are going well and fears noise pollution. “It is quite noisy.”