Help at the Tolhuistuin

A new country, a new culture, and a new language. All challenges that newcomers have to deal with. Mohamed came from Yemen three years ago and explains how volunteering helps him with these challenges. “Volunteering makes me feel like I lead a normal life.”After his arrival in the Netherlands, Mohamed quickly started doing volunteer work. “I began as a volunteer in asylum centers where I worked as an interpreter for newcomers. I also helped people with their COA (Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers) administration. When my wife and four children arrived in the Netherlands in July 2019, we moved to Amsterdam Noord. Here, I started volunteering at Tolhuistuin. Whenever there was an activity taking place, they would call me to see if I could come and help. I would assist with setting up the place, welcome visitors, and provide them with instructions regarding the COVID-19 measures. This was amazing, actually the first opportunity to connect with people here. It’s not easy to build connections in the Netherlands, and this brought me contacts and friends.”

“I am still considered as new”

“Volunteering at Tolhuistuin gave me the opportunity to talk to people and helped me a lot to improve my language skills. Often I didn’t understand what people were saying, and at the beginning, I was ashamed to speak, but this was also a good motivation to do it anyway. Volunteering also taught me about the Dutch work environment and culture. I have been in the Netherlands for almost three years now, but I still feel like we are seen as ‘new’ here because our life is not yet 100 percent normal. Volunteering makes me feel like I am leading a normal life, and that is the best feeling. Overall, it helps me with my integration. The Netherlands is super nice, and the people are very kind, everyone smiles at you and is willing to help if you have a question. It reminds me a lot of Yemen in the 80s.”

“Be there for others, you do not live alone”

“My main motivation for doing this: helping people. I often feel happy when someone is there for me, so it is even more beautiful to be there for someone else. No one lives alone in the world, we need to make connections, we need to make friends. My life motto is therefore: be there for others, you do not live alone. I inherited this from my father.”

“I hope it gives people motivation”

Recently, Mohamed has also been inspiring others with his experiences. “Due to corona, Tolhuistuin is not organizing any activities now, but I am now a volunteer at Vrijwilligers Centrale Amsterdam as an ambassador. I talk to newcomers who would like to do volunteer work, I then tell them how it helped me and what the positive things are. I hope it motivates people because they are often in the same situation as I am.”

A future full of dreams

“Everyone without a dream does not live. You must make plans for the future. After what we have experienced in our country, such as the war, it feels like I am twenty again and building a new life. One of my dreams is to start my own business here someday, but I will never stop doing volunteer work. Volunteer work is fantastic here. I am convinced that everyone has free time, so why not use this free time for something good?”Photo: Marcel Jansen
Text: Kiki Dusebout

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VCA is committed to new Amsterdammers. We do this together with volunteer organizations, the Municipality of Amsterdam, language schools, and a team of ambassadors.Project Status Holders: hereRead more about it. This project is made possible by: