There was a bit of connection between groups that normally do not meet quickly. In Eindhoven’s Victoriapark, refugees, secondary school students, and elderly people gathered to barbecue together. It is the conclusion of a project aimed at bringing people in the neighbourhood together.
The smell of chicken and baguettes fills the air during the barbecue. Secondary school students, elderly residents from the Vonderhof care home, and refugees from the Refugee Living Room are all busy preparing the meal together.
Meeting place
This marks the conclusion of a project that the students and the elderly set up as part of a community placement through Pak the Vibe. The teenagers and the elderly created a pop-up meeting place together. They worked on an old fire truck trailer for weeks and transformed it into a hangout spot. “We picked up the elderly and went to the workshops together. We refurbished chairs, painted tables and even welded the barbecue ourselves,” says student Fleur with a smile on her face.
In addition to the DIY projects being great fun, the students say that the tasks have also helped improve various social skills. “It’s brilliant. Those boys do a lot, as we can’t manage everything anymore as old folks,” says Louis, a resident of Vonderhof. “It’s just nice that they help us and come to chat. It’s another lovely outing for us.”
Cooking Meat
During the barbecue, the refugees from the neighbourhood are also present. They prepare the food together with the students and help with the barbecuing. Samir is one of the refugees and got up early to buy the meat. “This morning I went to the butcher to buy meat and chicken. Now I’m cooking them.”
Samir feels entirely at home. “I enjoy doing something for others. Later, when I’m older, I hope others will do something like this for me too.”
Source:Studio040.nl
Translated by: Kirti Singh
