MiSol Summer Fundraiser – An Article by NAOMI M. September 12, 2015.Really? Migrants coming together to gather money and donations for themselves AND migrants in Calais is not “concrete” enough?
I wonder how much “concrete” help they ended up getting from the attendees of the march. There’s nothing committal about standing in Manchester city center regurgitating slogans that the liberal masses already agree on. I understand the symbolism of showing solidarity, but when your message is not being transmited to those you are showing solidarity to, then who are you speaking for?
Anyway, if you came to the fundraiser, you’ll have been treated to some lovely food, free to asylum seekers and the unwaged. You’ll have heard Aderonke’s speech on the overwhelming amount of donations they received, and the need to deal with them in the most productive manner, both for MiSol and Calais. You’ll have spent time with individuals discussing ideas and initiatives on using the current spotlight to the advantage of the wider situation of refugees that nobody is talking about (yet, hopefully).
Considering the limited resources these people have, they were able to put together an inspiring event that brought together individuals interested in donating both time and money, through the most communal human activity – sharing a meal. How’s that for concrete?
If you want to donate, remember that there are some things more needed than others, make sure you check what those are. Also remember that a lot of people have no way of transporting their belongings and so the bulk of donations sometimes takes up more space than is available. Most refugees need money more urgently than they need things, so if you can donate in that way, it would be very much appreciated.
Manchester MiSol invites you to join in on our summer fundraising. We rely solely on generosity of people like you and charitable organisations to meet our core group running costs – we don’t take government funding. Only 2 or 3 of our members are working. Others are legally not allowed to work.
Manchester Migrant Solidarity (Manchester MiSol) is a self-help group set up as a convergence space for all migrants including asylum seekers offering practical and social activities for mutual support, empowerment and solidarity with non-migrants to build a powerful political voice against the systematic mistreatment of migrants in the UK.
If you are unable to attend and would still like to support us, it would be appreciated. We welcome one off and monthly donations. You can set up a direct debit or standing order with your bank to ensure we are able to carry on supporting asylum seekers and migrants. Contact us on info@manchestermigrantsolidarity.org or visit manchestermigrantsolidarity.org/donate for more details.
Article & Pictures credit: Naomi M – Glitterblog
Manchester Migrant Solidarity (Manchester MiSol) 