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A Souq before Eid in Haarlem

Event
AZC Haarlem
People browsing tables and shelves of clothes, shoes and toys in a large hall with a wooden roof.
The Souq at AZC Haarlem.

During Ramadan, a week before Eid al-Fitr, we held a Souq at AZC Haarlem, the asylum seekers’ centre in Haarlem.

We had received very many donations. The tables were full of clothes and household items, set out for people to choose from. As at every Souq, everything was free: people walked in, browsed and took what they needed.

Bags and suitcases of donations piled on the floor before sorting.
Donations before sorting, ahead of the Souq.
A long hall with tables of folded clothes, a rail and a sofa covered in clothes, with a volunteer and a member of the centre’s staff at work.
The hall with the tables set out.

The highlight of the day was the children. There was play for them, and food and drink for Eid.

Shelves of soft toys and children’s things, a toy kitchen, shoes on a cabinet and a baby’s play gym.
Toys and a play kitchen for the children.

Many of our volunteers were fasting that day. The food and drink was there for the people who were not observing Ramadan, the children first of all, and the volunteers who were fasting served it without eating themselves.

By the end of the day everything had been taken. It was a big success.

By the end of the day everything had been taken.

A long table piled with folded clothes, with two volunteers sorting at the far end.
Volunteers sorting the clothes.

Do you have clothes or toys to give? Get in touch through our contact page and our team will come and pick them up.

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