Kyrios: Daniela: 347 0173333

Afghan Refugees:
Elisabeth: 329 5966351

Food Distribution:
Renato: 338 6867100

Fax: 06 5813888

E-mail:
associazionekyrios@interfree.it

AFGHAN REFUGEES

THE BEGINNING
After having met in the winter of 2002-2003 a group of refugees from Afghanistan  that was sleeping outside at the Ostiense station, we have started to bring them some tea (MUCH appreciated, being the national drink) and cookies every Sunday night.
Since 2005 we also offer lunch on Saturday, the other days of the week they eat in a center for refugees.
15 Volunteers are involved in these services, and we prepare between 50 and 150 meals and distribute 150-250 cups of tea every week.

                                           WHAT WE DO
Our primary goal is to establish relationships of friendship, because we realize that for people who come from a culture in which one lives in extended families it is traumatic to live alone, more so in an environment that consists for 98% of young male people, in which contact with the family is maintained, if at all possible (sometimes the family lives in an area where there are no telephone lines), through telephone conversations. If you add to these difficulties a land and a culture totally different from your own, a language that you don't understand, living (sometimes on the street) surrounded by people with whom you maybe have nothing in common, you can understand why a little bit of personal attention: know their names, be interested in their stories, try to understand and talk (with LOTS of laughter) at least a little bit of Farsi, which is their "lingua franca", offer encouragement to face the long and slow bureaucratic process for the recognition of their request for political asylum, help them find legal assistance, explain where they can eat every day, where they can learn Italian, check they go to the doctor, and if necessary accompany them, explain western culture, prescriptions for medicine, Christian faith, the Italian language, and whenever possible go with them to the Questura, the dentist, the hospital, a center for minors, etc., help find work, and even to write love letters, is very much appreciated.
All this requires first of all dependability, but also much "presence", and twice a week just isn't enough. Therefore we try, within the limits imposed by work and distance, to make some visits during the week as well, just to chat, or to invite them over to our home.