2018 has been an amazing year for us here at AFRIL. Our newly formed Helping Hands food bank has been an amazing success during this time. Our users have benefited from not just the urgently needed supplies, but from the support and advice and social activities that we wrap around the weekly session.
The Rainbow Club goes from strength to strength and we have begun to offer holiday activities. We are starting to look at how we expand the school in the next few years and work with older children. Finally we are all so proud that the volunteer team at the school won an award under the fairness and equality category from Team London in October
We continue to support positive volunteering opportunities within our organisation. More and more we are looking at ways that our beneficiaries can volunteer and give something back to AFRIL. This year we also launched a pilot project called ‘Act Like You Know’ to encourage young people from refugee backgrounds to volunteer with us.
We do all this work in the context of a backdrop of growing xenophobia and hate, of bureaucratic controls and oppressive legislation that make the lives of people that we work with a living nightmare.
This year we are raising money for our ‘destitution fund’, which goes directly to supporting people who are affected by government restrictions and hostilities.
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/afrilwinterappeal2018-2019
£5 could buy somebody mobile phone credit, to contact family members, friends and support workers. It can also support someone with travel to and from our Food Bank
£10 can buy somebody a basic mobile phone
£15 can support somebody with a night’s accommodation in a hostel; this can be lifesaving, particularly in the winter months.
£20 can support somebody with travel costs. Appointments can be costly; people can be expected to travel to Home Office appointments miles out of their borough, which is very costly. This can also support with travelling to college, GP appointments, or trips out.
£25 supports a family with basic cooking items for the week.
£50 can support a family with school uniform costs
Please share and support our appeal across family and friends and your networks. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
AFRIL Team