In February, the Portuguese Prime Minister communicated to the authorities of Greece, Italy, Austria and Sweden his country's readiness to accept an extra 5,800 refugees over and above the 4,500 that were part of the EU system of quotas, and to accommodate an additional 2,500-3,000 people seeking asylum above the 2,800 initially planned. "We are against a closed Europe, which locks down its borders to keep out refugees. We want a different Europe" the Prime Minister commented.
The Salesian Family are part of this humanitarian work through the activities of the Fundação Salesianos and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. Both these bodies have agreed to be part of the Refugee Aid Platform.
In March, the Foundation took steps to welcome the first two families. One of these is a family of parents and their three children, aged 3, 6 and 8. They come from the region of Damascus in Syria, and will be hosted in the town of Cascais in a renovated house and with the help of the educational volunteer group of the Salesian Institute in Estoril.
As well as being housed the family will also be supported for two years, thanks to the group SOLSAL (Salesian Solidarity). This will help them to be fully integrated and to become independent. At present the priority is to achieve all the necessary documentation and access to health services. At the beginning of the next school year the children will be integrated into the local Salesian school.
Meanwhile the FMA, who are also involved in welcoming refugees, are moving in the field of awareness on the subject and have produced some explanatory videos on the activities of the Refugee Aid Platform and on the situation of refugees.
