Community…what does it mean? It’s a term we often use to describe groups of people who find commonality and connection. Sometimes we mean the home we come from, the friends who surround us, or the people we connect with online. But no matter the people, it can often represent a feeling, a sense of belonging.
Migrant Community
At the heart of our projects are people who often face barriers to integration. Many have had to leave their communities behind and forge new connections and create new communities. MOAS runs integration initiatives to help support people to build friendships and cultural understanding in Malta, and English lessons to help people with conversational English so that they can better access services. But, the power of community also comes as the responsibility of each and every person. We should all stand against barriers that prevent people from feeling that they can start a new life in a new place, and we should understand the responsibility we have as host communities to build bridges, build connections, and work against rhetoric of exclusion often peddled in politics.
When it comes to thinking about Safe and Legal Routes, we can also think about community. If you are no longer safe or able to sustain a life for yourself, do you not hope to have the space and support to leave? Every life is important, every identity is unique, and every statistic is a human being. Therefore, we should help create safe pathways so people can live in a safe community, where they can feel they belong.
Volunteer Community
Volunteers are the backbone of MOAS. They have helped support our projects and continue to provide assistance across HQ, to ensure we meet beneficiary needs. With most of us having super busy lives, the idea of volunteering – giving your time and energy to a project, can seem a stressful prospect. But, it is through volunteering you are instantly connected with others. If you want to widen your circle and find out more about different cultures, people and ideas then volunteering can be such a fantastic way to make new friends and share activities together. It is also an important way to meet people whom you wouldn’t necessarily connect with, which can enrich you with new perspectives. It gives a sense of purpose and helps you explore what you would also like to do in the field.
MOAS Community
The MOAS community continues to grow and expand, thanks to your support. Over the years we have moved from Search and Rescue to rapid response programming in global crises and with this, you have been at our side, supporting our projects to grow. In this sense, our community is global, we span across countries, and we are connected by a common goal to help build effective humanitarian programmes. By keeping our overheads to a minimum, we can maximise the support we give in the field. Our trainers are on the ground in refugee camps providing lifesaving training to volunteers to respond to climatic disasters and fire outbreaks, our partners are providing in country aid, and our supporter base is ever helping us to construct innovative solutions in the face of crises. If you live locally in Malta, or follow our projects from afar, there are always ways to get involved. This community is inclusive and a space for people to integrate and advocate.
The MOAS app is a great tool for you to join a community supporting humanitarian programmes. You can find out more about the projects we are running and connect with others who are also supporting our work. This community is global. Join today at (link to the PR with download pages)
If you are interested in the work of MOAS and our partners, please follow us on social media, sign up to our newsletter and share our content. You can also reach out to us any time via [email protected]. If you want to support our operations, please give what you can at www.moas.eu/donate.