The last formal visit of the current President of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials to Centro Astalli in Palermo

“What keeps me hopeful and energised is seeing those who have been assisted in the past, offer help to those who have just arrived” says Vidjaya, a Dutch volunteer in Centro Astalli Palermo. She continued to explain how one of the services they provide in Centro Astalli is a shower where migrants can go for free and wash themselves everyday. One day they were working until very late and had a lot of work to do, amongst many things they had to clean the showers but there were several migrants who still had to shower. Instead of just making use of the service, several of them offered to clean the showers themselves after they used it. Vidjaya, an anthropologist student, was offering this example as something that gets her and the rest of the team optimistic and motivated about the work being done at the Centre.

And we need to understand that the work with refugees and migrants it is not always easy. There are many barriers to overcome like language, cultural differences, lack of resources to cover all their needs, etc. But at Centro Astalli in Palermo they work unceasingly to reduce these barriers in many creative ways like involving the migrants in the volunteering work.

This July, Father John Dardis SJ the current president of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials until the 28^th of August went to visit Centro Astalli in Palermo to get a glimpse of the challenges and needs that migrants and refugees deal with in the South of Europe. He was greeted by Simone (the Vice President of the Centre) and Alessandro (a worker in the Centre), both of them showed him around the centre and all the services they provide there like: breakfast, legal help, showers, Italian classes, sewing and needlework, handcraft centre, and many more.

That being said, probably the most important service that they offer at Centro Astalli is a place for people to feel minded, well treated, and where they feel they matter. Father Dardis saw this in first person when he met with three migrants who were there to just to speak to other people and if possible give a helping hand to the volunteers. One of the three, an 18-year-old boy from Burkina Faso told Father Dardis about all of his hopes for the future. A very moving experience all together.

There is a clear need for further support in this project, financially and in terms of human resources but the team managing this project is doing an excellent job. Therefore, if you think you can contribute in any way, please visit the website http://www.centroastallipalermo.it/ for more information.