Today we reopen the Cyprus Dignity Centre, providing essential support to refugees and people seeking asylum in Nicosia and beyond.
The need in Cyprus has never been greater, and our flagship project, the Cyprus Dignity Centre, is a rare space of solace, solidarity and community. We are the only organisation in Cyprus offering consistent support and solidarity with an open-door policy to refugees and people seeking asylum, and the impact on our members can be life-changing.
Cyprus has been home to the highest number of people seeking asylum per capita in Europe for a number of years now. Lately, however, things have become even more desperate. The escalating violence in the Middle East has led to more people, mostly Syrian refugees, leaving Lebanon on small boats to seek safety on Europe’s shores. In the first three months of this year, more than 2,000 people arrived to Cyprus by sea, compared to just 78 in the same period last year. The Government’s response has been drastic, including pushbacks and the suspension of asylum applications.
Meanwhile, new arrivals face daily challenges and destitution, with racist attacks on the rise. When people seeking asylum finally leave the reception camp, they have nowhere to turn. The administrative backlog means that vulnerable people are waiting months to access support to meet their basic needs.
At our Dignity Centre, we offer dignified support to people who are made vulnerable by an unjust system. The Centre provides a helpdesk to assist with registering for benefits and the right to work, help writing CVs, a weekly barbershop, and comprehensive signposting to help people navigate the system and access support.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us to provide this essential service while standing in solidarity with one of Europe’s most vulnerable communities. Stay tuned to find out how you can continue to be involved and why we need your help now more than ever.
