“This is better than watching TV”

‘Marhaba’ means ‘welcome’ in Arabic. The Marhaba Foundation was established in 2006 by Amsterdam residents from Nieuw-West of Moroccan origin. The idea was to participate, think along, learn, and do good for the neighborhood. They work together to create a safe and livable living environment. Abdelhafid is a volunteer at the Marhaba Foundation. He is a familiar face in the neighborhood, wherever he goes, he strikes up a conversation and offers a helping hand.“When I have helped for a few hours again, I feel better than sitting on the couch for an afternoon. No matter how small, a helping hand is so important. Some people live very isolated. It makes me feel good that I can be meaningful to them. During the pandemic, for example, we taught the elderly how to use Zoom and have group conversations via WhatsApp, so they can stay in touch. Also with us. We heard about food shortages in families and were able to bring groceries, distribute meals. We call or visit the elderly to see how they are doing.”

Join forces

“Our goal is to learn together with them and engage in dialogue. Real encounters, real people. So that the gaze of the elderly does not turn inwards but they continue to focus on their own neighborhood. Only then can people participate, think along, work together, and make their voices heard. We are pleased with the expertise of the organizations in the neighborhood, such as De Brug, Eigenwijks, Kumbet, Nisa4Nisa, Mos Salon, Vooruit. Wonderful organizations with which we have a good collaboration. We know the people and rally them for information sessions or dialogues. This way, we combine forces and together make our neighborhood a bit more beautiful, safer, and more livable.”

Better than watching TV

“Learning through gaining experiences works very well. Before the time of corona, we did a great program to learn about democracy, together with Pro Demos. We visited the Second Chamber in The Hague. There, the participants were welcomed by members of parliament and received explanations about how the Second Chamber works. Educational and enjoyable! Sitting on the couch at home in front of the TV can always be done later, I prefer doing things like this!”

Volunteer tasks

Curious about volunteer opportunities? In our online job board, there are about 1000 fun and meaningful tasks in the city. For everyone’s talent and schedule.Search online or make an appointment with one of our mediators.Text: Nettie SterrenburgPhotos: Huub Zeeman,VCA Media