Aid We
Provide
Charge & Power Provision
In this modern refugee crisis, access to power has become one of the more vital necessities to those stranded in foreign lands. Bringing our generator every single day grants many people the needed charge that will help them call their families back home, or communicate with their families already at their destination.
Wi-Fi
Accessibility
Keeping within the theme of the accessibility of communication, we are now able to provide an entirely free Wi-Fi connection to those we provide aid to. This Wi-Fi box, provided to us by the amazing team at Jangala, is capable of providing free Wi-Fi to around 300 people at a time, with a connection speed more than good enough to facilitate any Skype or Whatsapp calls to friends or family, as well as other internet uses.
Emergency Response
Many of the areas we serve are routinely harassed by the French police forces, such as the CRS and the Gendarmerie. During these events, people often have their tents destroyed, tarpaulins slashed, possessions stolen and papers confiscated. It is after these abuses that we attempt to replace what was taken if we can, and thus provide a small feeling of security despite the constant hostilities.
Targeted NFI Distributions
Due to regular intervention from the authorities, the residents of the Dunkirk camp are always in a state of desperate need for the most vital equipment. Rather than mass-distributing one item at a time, we have developed methods to provide the specific, bespoke and most relevant items to those in need on-request. This completely reduces the chance of donations going out that will not be thoroughly utilised. It also allows us to work to the benefit of all those on-site as efficiently as possible.
Electronics Repair Workshop
One of the newest services we are now able to provide is free smartphone and power-pack repairs. Smartphones and standard mobile phones are vital for refugees to keep in contact with their loved ones, both back home and at their destination. However, while sleeping rough and especially while being constantly antagonised by the police, it can be easy for a smartphone or power-bank to break. Thanks to one of our long-term volunteer's skills, we are able to repair these devices where otherwise a person would be charged £30-£150.
Bespoke Food Packs
While other charities do provide over 1,000 people with hot food every single day in Calais and Dunkirk, there is something deeply liberating about making and serving your own food. Cooking your own food and playing host to those around you is a custom present in every culture, and this is an aspect of life we attempt to facilitate to families and groups every few days.
Overnight Power Bank Charging
Power banks, or portable chargers, have become a lifeline to those sleeping rough and displaced here in northern France. While we are on-site daily providing charge for people’s smartphones, we also collect their personal power banks in order to charge them before returning them the following day, which permits people to have an extra two or three life cycles in their smart devices overnight. This is especially useful for individuals who find themselves lost or stranded in an unknown town or country as it keeps their phones powered, allowing them to use both GPS and even potentially contact the emergency services.