Practice Partner: Wereldhuis Cooking Teams

The number of people in refugee situations is increasing due to interconnected crises. There are many undocumented people in Amsterdam who are therefore in very vulnerable circumstances without legal guarantees of their basic human rights. The process for claiming asylum and gaining refugee status is very slow and during this time there is a high pressure on mental health and entering into illegal and unsafe work to make some income. Wereldhuis is an organisation that formed in Amsterdam to support undocumented people while they are being processed. The organisation offers a day shelter, with legal support, counselling, skills training and food.
The food is organised by a combination of paid staff and volunteers who are mostly documented (EU citizens) or undocumented (mainly people in refugee situations from Africa). The Wereldhuis is struggling for more food justice by bringing high quality produce from a local farm. They have a team of chefs who are given money to buy ingredients and be compensated for their work. The chefs are/were documented and cook food that is delicious and culturally appropriate to the people who visit and eat at the Wereldhuis. Some of the chefs have gone onto make their own catering companies.
There is also a community kitchen and eating area available in another location where a group of refugee women and men received practical training on how to organise solidarity meals (Volkskeuken). By working in a team with volunteers from privileged backgrounds, it was possible to co-create a series of meals that raised awareness on migrant rights and food injustices while also financially compensating people in refugee situations.
A men’s and a women’s team formed and made solidarity meals that brought together many groups in Amsterdam which also generated money (€10 per hour) from meal donations. If 45 people ate, they accessed dignified work plus €100+ to support a social cause. If 20 people ate, they would receive less compensation and have no money to support a social cause. Overtime both of the two women stopped coordinating meals due to mental health illnesses and the men’s team continues but struggles to organise regular meals and achieve higher numbers.

We need to be recognised as human beings and have our human rights guaranteed

For more citizens to support our need to become documented, and access dignified work – this includes cooking and sharing our food cultures, not just receiving food aid

What systemic changes do we (food organizing refugees) need to happen to transform the food system?

What do we (food organizing refugees) need to learn to transform the food system?

How to support women’s refugee groups who cook and organise solidarity meals? Women in refugee situations are often isolated and outnumbered, it is hard for them to access safe spaces and make public events

How can we secure that 40-50 people regularly eat at our meals? This numbers enables fair compensation and raise funds for social causes in Amsterdam and our home countries

How can we better connect our community food events with raising awareness and mobilizing people to support our needs for migrant justice?

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Wereldhuis