Summa Plus shines with a heartwarming initiative for refugees

In a world where migration and integration are often accompanied by complex challenges, Summa Plus demonstrates how a small gesture can have a big impact. Four times a week, more than forty (unaccompanied) minor asylum seekers board the bus from the asylum seekers' center in Oirschot to Summa Plus on Blécourtstraat . Not only to attend school, but also for a shared breakfast.

This school year, Summa Plus introduced a school breakfast for refugees from the asylum seekers' center in Oirschot. "Our goal is simple yet powerful: to satisfy hunger, warm hearts, and enrich minds," says Suzanne Wijdeven, mentor and Dutch teacher at Summa Plus. "We noticed that they were going to the supermarket first, after taking the bus, to buy food. This made them late for class. They were hungry." 

Positive impact

She emphasizes the positive impact this initiative is already having on young people with refugee status who are trying to find a new home in a completely foreign country. "By sitting together at the table, the refugees not only share meals, but also stories and experiences. At the same time, they're also learning about Dutch customs. For example, the young people are not used to enjoying a meal together at the table. What's perfectly normal for us is completely foreign to them. This all contributes to creating an inclusive atmosphere where everyone is encouraged to feel heard and valued. And an added bonus: we all start class on time, with full stomachs," says Wijdeven. 

Gift from the government

Together with her fellow mentors Nicole van den Heuvel and Nicole Dubois, Suzanne applied for a grant from the Youth Education Fund. Nicole van den Heuvel emphasizes the universal nature of this support: "Every school can do this; the grant is intended for all vulnerable groups in society. No child has to start the day hungry. A car doesn't run out of fuel either."

Only to the Netherlands

Summa Plus's initiative focuses on the well-being and health of young asylum seekers, who often face the challenges of growing up, functioning in a new society, and processing traumatic experiences. "These young people, aged 15 to 18, have fled war or another unsafe situation and come to the Netherlands alone or with family. And then they find themselves in the Netherlands, where everything is different. They're still just children, and as a society, we sometimes forget that," says Nicole.