Category Archives: Report event

“Compassion is a responsability”

Intervention by Natacha Mugisi Tchitembo during the Action and Contemplation weekend organised by House of Compassion at the Rock-in-Squat.

Dear members of House of Compassion,
Dear participants,
Dear brothers and sisters,
I thank you for the invitation extended to me today.
Your institution bears a powerful name: House of Compassion,
A house, and a compassion.
Two words which, for us, women without papers, are not concepts but vital needs.

In the Christian tradition, compassion is not an emotion; it is a responsibility.
Today, I come to speak to you on behalf of the Committee of Women without Papers, of which I am one of the spokespersons,
On behalf of the collective The Echo of the Voice, which I founded,
On behalf of the occupation The Divine Grace, of which I am the initiator and coordinator,
And on behalf of all those who are not seen, but whom God has never ceased to see.

The lived reality of women without papers:
A question of human dignity
The Church reminds us that
every person is created in the image of God.
And yet, in our societies,
women and children live without recognition,
without security,
without rights.

To be a woman without papers
is to live in daily fear:
fear of controls,
fear of denunciation,
fear of deportation.

Socially,
we often work in essential
but invisible sectors:
care, cleaning, support.

Culturally,
we are reduced to silence.
Our voices are not considered legitimate.

Politically,
we are absent from decision-making spaces,
even though decisions affect us directly.

This reality is not only social.
It is moral.
It is spiritual.

Speech as a path to liberation
In the Bible,
God always begins by hearing the cry.
“I have seen the misery of my people,
I have heard their cry.”
(Exodus 3:7)

We too cried out.
But for a long time, no one listened.
That is why we chose to speak collectively.
Speech became for us an act of liberation,
an act of faith,
an act of non-violent resistance.

The Invisibles:
When singing becomes prayer and protest
This is how the Committee’s choir was born:
The Invisibles

In the Christian tradition,
singing is a prayer.
But it is also a proclamation.
Our songs are contemporary psalms.
They speak of exile,
of waiting,
of hope.

When we sing in public space, we do what the prophets did: we remind society of its responsibilities.

Art and conscience: the undocumented candidacy
Our path crossed that of the artist Anna Rispoli.
With her,
we took part in a powerful action:
the symbolic candidacy
of a woman without papers,
a role I embodied,
“The mayor of the twentieth commune” during the municipal elections.

This action raised a deeply ethical question:
Can we speak of justice when part of the population has no political voice?

This artistic gesture opened a space for reflection,
not against institutions,
but to awaken consciences.

We also wrote a memorandum in which you can find our various demands.

A home for women and children: The Divine Grace
In my Christian tradition,
the home is a sacred place.

Faced with the precariousness of the women of the Committee
and their children,
the idea was born to create a space of welcome, safety, and rebuilding.
This is how The Divine Grace came into being.

This name expresses our deep conviction:
dignity is not earned,
it is given by God.

The Echo of the Voice: Making the Invisible resonate within institutions
The collective The Echo of the Voice was created so that our words would not remain confined.
An echo
is a voice that passes through walls.

In this spirit, we met
seven mayors,
not in a logic of confrontation,
but of responsible dialogue.

We presented them with a clear project:
– the need for a building,
– a dignified place,
– a space of shared humanity.

Conclusion
A call to active compassion
I will end with a call.
Compassion is not only a feeling.
It is a commitment.

Today,
we are not asking the Church to speak in our place.
We are asking it to walk with us.

Because every invisible woman is a sister.
Because every child without safety is a child of God.

We are here.
We exist.
And we will continue to make the echo of the voice heard.

Thank you.

Photo of the choir of the Committee of Women without Papers during the closing of the “Action and Contemplation” reflection days organised by House of Compassion on 9 and 10 January 2026 at Rock-in-Squat.

Christmas Message from Father Daniel

You don’t put a child on the street. Period!!!

As I write this, that sentence is clearly visible on the placard held by the “Giant of the Dignity of People Without Legal Stay” at House of Compassion (also known as the Beguinage Church). And this right next to three tents where families live with a total of eight* children… put out on the street by the new law of 01/08/2025, which stipulates that those who have already obtained asylum elsewhere can no longer be received here, not even during an asylum application procedure… not even if they come from Greece, not even when it is known that the Belgian State has already been condemned dozens of times for sending people back to Greece and its degrading reception conditions. We claim to be proud of having signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child, but we refuse to apply the rulings of judges who forbid sending these children/families back to Greece… A bit like that politician who declared on the program De Afspraak that we, Western countries, should not be too modest, but even proud of having voted in 1948 for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights… without remembering that all those Western countries that still had colonies at the time continued, after 1948, to spend billions to keep them as long as possible (in the name of… Human Rights?), and that some colonial powers still killed thousands of people (cf. the Netherlands: 300,000 deaths; and in Paris, on 17 October 1961, 100 Algerian protesters thrown into the Seine).

Photo Geneviève Frère: Beginning of the action “No children on the street. Period!” at House of Compassion

A few years ago, we protested for many months with the placard: “You don’t lock up a child. Period.”, until that stopped. Today, the slogan must be: “You don’t put a child on the street.”… A matter of “progress” (sic)?… down the slippery slope of migration policy?!? Once, there were passionate Belgium–Netherlands football matches, to score the most goals. Today, it is Belgium–Netherlands competition in migration policy… to achieve the worst score… and thus tell the world/asylum seekers: no, you are not welcome here.

But in reality, we did not have to wait for this new law of 1 August to see children on the street. In De Standaard of 13/11/2025, one could read: during the ten and a half months of 2025, 150 babies had already been received by Samusocial, and between 1/9 and 12/11/2025, Samusocial had to put 2,164 people (that is, 613 families) on the street for lack of space; at the beginning of September, even a family with a baby of 18 months, and another week in September, 100 people without shelter (including 30 children!). “In a welfare state, we cannot possibly accept that mothers with young children and even babies end up on the street,” said director Sarah de Limanchine… but IT DOES happen! And that same month, the federal government announced that with its austerity policy, it would no longer participate in funding winter reception in major cities, leaving Brussels to manage without this support… including for many “internal refugees/poor” coming from within the country and ending up in the streets of Brussels.

We celebrate Christmas… a child/a family on the street. And we swear, in a way: this cannot happen, at Christmas a child/a family on the street. No, this cannot, this must never happen: a family on the street, even outside of Christmas. THANK YOU for what you do so that this does not have to happen.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2026

Daniel Alliet

*3 children under 10 are still today at House of Compassion, we still hope for them to find a place in a center.

Photo: Geneviève Frère: “Sleeping bag operation” in front of the Palace of Justice with Amnesty, Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen, Bel Refugee Platform and House of Compassion (with the participation of members of the Paulus community).

Action for Dignified Reception

13 November 2025 – Palace of Justice – Speech by Eva

Good morning everyone. Thank you for being here, so early, and in the cold. I am Eva from Amnesty, and years ago I myself came to Belgium as a refugee, seeking safety. Despite this chilly morning, I mainly feel the warmth of your presence and solidarity.

Today I stand here not alone, but as part of something bigger: a community that refuses to forget what humanity means. We are here with Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen, Amnesty International, Ciré, BelRefugees and House of Compassion, and with many concerned citizens.

Why are we here at the Palace of Justice, with our sleeping bags in hand? To take action for dignified reception. Because nearly 1,800 people seeking protection today literally have to sleep on the street. Because even families with children are being left out in the cold by the authorities.

We roll out our sleeping bags on the pavement of the Palace of Justice to send a silent but powerful signal to our government. To show: this is what happens when the law no longer has space. Together we show that we do not agree with a policy that leaves people on the run to sleep outside in wind and rain. Because reception is not a favor, it is a right.

What does it mean to receive reception? Reception is more than a place to sleep: it is a first step towards rest, safety, and stability. Those who do not receive reception lose more than a bed and basic services such as food and healthcare. That person loses the chance to come back to life. Without a safe place, only survival remains, and people are forced to sleep under bridges, in stations, in squats. That means insecurity, health problems and despair. And all this in a city that closes its eyes, in the heart of Europe.

What was once a temporary shortage, our government has allowed to grow into a degrading policy. The situation threatens to worsen this winter. In Brussels, the annual winter plan will be activated on 15 November. But just as temperatures are dropping, the federal government has cut funding for winter reception.

While civil society organizations are at breaking point, the government refuses to invest in structural solutions. That is a political choice. And political choices can change. That is why I now address our government directly with three demands:

  1. Reception for everyone: everyone must have a roof over their head this winter.
  2. Restoration of budgets for winter reception: give cities and organizations the means to protect lives. Especially in cities like Brussels and Ghent, local reception must be sufficiently supported.
  3. Respect for the law: more than 10,000 times already, judges in Belgium have ordered the government to respect the right to reception. Those entitled to it must actually receive it.

Today we symbolically roll out our sleeping bags to show what happens when the government lays down its responsibility. But we refuse to accept that this becomes the new normal. We are here to remind of laws that already exist, of rights that apply to everyone. Law only has meaning if it applies to everyone. And everyone deserves dignified reception.

Thanks to everyone who is here today: citizens, lawyers, field workers, people with a refugee story. You are the proof that solidarity is alive in our country. Together we demand that Belgium leaves no one out in the cold.

Before I hand over the floor, I suggest we wake Brussels up together with our message. Let us chant loud and clear! What do we want? RECEPTION! When? NOW!

Thank you!

Speech by Eva Davidova, spokesperson Amnesty International Flanders and board member Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen

Additional Information

The action on 13 November 2025 at the Palace of Justice in Brussels is the first of a series of actions that civil society will organize this autumn:

  • On 14 November, lawyers and magistrates will take action at the Palace of Justice because “Justice is suffocating”.
  • On 17 November, Samusocial and Ligue des Familles will launch a campaign: Jamais un enfant dans la rue (“Never a child in the street”).
  • On 5 December, on the eve of Saint Nicholas, several volunteers will take action in their municipality with the message: #NoChildrenOnTheStreet.

Civil society partners: collaboration between Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen, Amnesty International, Ciré, BelRefugees and House of Compassion. With the support of organizations such as Doctors of the World and La Ligue.

Photo: Geneviève Frère

A Gesture That Resonates

“Yesterday, it was my turn at the Beguinage Church. A few unhoused people came in and walked toward the exhibition on Gaza [around the Sacred Heart of Jesus]. There, they kissed the dolls representing the children who had died. ” — Pieter, volunteer at House of Compassion
That silent, moving gesture echoes in other acts elsewhere.
A few weeks ago, we welcomed the Catholic Workers from Amsterdam. Their presence forged a meaningful connection between our actions in Brussels and theirs in Amsterdam. During that visit, we discovered their processions of mourning and resistance, where dolls become children, and statistics become faces. (Read Ilmira’s testimony https://korrelzout.noelhuis.nl/…/wie-zwijgt-stemt-toe/ )
Just steps away from House of Compassion, every Sunday after the 11 a.m. mass, the Goede Bijstand community walks in a silent procession for Gaza. This Sunday, August 10, will already be the thirteenth procession. Thirteen times they’ve walked, in silence.
Caption : Geneviève Frère

Sabine, Giantess of Dignity. First outing. To Schuman Square.

July 15, 2025. Sabine has completed her first trip abroad—a journey to the heart of Europe, Schuman Square in Brussels. She’s been waiting impatiently in the Beguinage Church. She wants to do something with her name and her stature: “Giantess of Dignity.”

In mid-June, she witnessed five days of “Fasting for Justice in Palestine” at the House of Compassion. Call it “Fasting for the dignity of every Gazan.” Dignity for every human being, with or without papers. That’s what she stands for.

That dignity is being violated in Israel. The whole world sees it and knows it. Gaza has become a wreck—lots of rubble, little hope. Thousands have been killed. In the buildings around Schuman Square, European leaders can’t agree on sanctions against Israel, nor on suspending the Association Agreement. Gaza is not Ukraine. Who said again: “It’s the economy, stupid!”? But the people think differently. Today, a few hundred are making that clear at Schuman Square. Sabine will be there too. With us.

It starts early in the morning. Eric got up early to print Article 2 of the European Constitution and stick it onto cardboard signs. Article 2 speaks of the core values that guide EU policy: respect for human dignity, human rights, freedom, democracy, equality, and justice. That’s what’s written on paper. And paper is patient.

In Sabine’s hands, Various has attached a flag with the same article. She’s also getting other slogans pinned to her body. There aren’t enough pins, but it works. She’s ready to go.

Eric crawls under her skirt. Just this once—it’s allowed. Nothing wrong with that. That’s how she gets going. Daniël, Marcel, Stéphane, Jean-Claude, Luc, Olympia, Mia, Hilde, Walbert, and Omar join her. Everything rolls smoothly—literally. At least for her. Those walking with her don’t roll, they walk, pulling the ropes in front to help her uphill, and behind to slow her downhill. Even Brussels is hilly for giantesses. But she doesn’t mind.

Will we get far enough? We wonder. Law enforcement isn’t always keen on these kinds of events. We walk and pull through De Brouckère, past two officers. They watched but didn’t intervene. Then up the Rue des Chevaliers, past the cathedral, to the intersection with Rue de la Loi and Place Royale.

A police van stops. The area around the Royal Palace and Parliament is neutral ground. No demonstrations are tolerated. Not even cardboard signs with Article 2. The police chief is called for advice. But a dignified giantess on wheels, accompanied by peaceful 65+ activists, apparently poses no threat to the Belgian state. At most, a little unrest. Hopefully.

The march continues. Through Rue Brederode, Rue du Trône, Rue de la Loi, all the way to Schuman Square. We’ve arrived!

Here comes Sabine!! In all her dignity, towering above the crowd of protesters. Palestinian flags, scarves, banners, and signs fill the space with color. Chants echo. Speeches and testimonies follow one another. She draws attention.

“Who is that? What’s she doing here?” Same questions, same answer: “She’s one of Brussels’ hundred giants. She comes from the Beguinage Church, House of Compassion, and represents, like every giant, a specific group of people. She herself was once a ‘foreigner’—maybe still is?—and she represents foreigners, migrants, and refugees, with or without papers. She stands for their dignity, the dignity of every human being. And that includes Gazans and Palestinians. That’s why she’s here to protest. Even if she’s a bit taller than the rest of us.”

“OK, that’s cool!” “Courage!” And now people know.

Later that afternoon, she made it home without a scratch. A different police van kindly escorted her part of the way, showing her the safe route outside the neutral zone. On the way, she had to bow her head twice—not to the authorities, but to a low-hanging branch and an electrical cable. Upon arrival, her head was put back in place. That’s usually how it goes when you get home. Only her hairstyle suffered a bit. Maybe she can call on her namesake and lookalike, a hairdresser, for help. Women know how to handle that.

Now she’s beaming again in her usual spot at the House of Compassion. And waiting—just a little impatiently—for her next outing.

✍️ Jan Reynebeau

📸 Photo credit: Stéphane Lagasse

‘The Letter’ at House of Compassion

On Monday 16 January, we watched “The Letter” together, a film about the encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ in which Pope Francis enters into dialogue with activists from groups that are not sufficiently heard on the world stage: the poor, indigenous peoples, young people and scientists representing the animal and plant world.

About 100 people were present for the introduction by Karel Malfliet. He dwelt on the core of Pope Francis’ discourse around ecology and ended with a beautiful poem. A poem that expresses the hope that encounters within our universal family, may lead to fundamental change.

You can still consult Karel Malfliet’s presentation here in French.

Just over 70 participants participated in the follow-up discussion. At first they shared how they experienced the film. The stories of the main characters in the film were felt to be very moving. Later, many shared a sense of powerlessness and a frustration at the little one can do as an individual. At the same time, there is strength and energy to take steps both in one’s own life, and within the wider society. Some share clever ways to increase your individual impact, such as moving your savings into an account at an ecological bank. Others are already planning actions such as organising screenings of the film Laudato Si themselves.

Would you like to see the movie too? Or would you like to share it with your friends and family? Watch online through this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rps9bs85BII&t=751s

Would you like more info about the film or the people in the film, or would you like to organise a screening yourself? Please visit the website for the film: www.theletterfilm.org

Verslag van de webinar ‘Racisme is van iedereen’ ENG

Auteur: William Deraedt --
Een boeiende en kleurrijke avond met sprankelende getuigenissen en nuttige informatie.

Na de inleiding van coördinatrice Karen kwam Slam dichteres Lisette Ma Neza meteen onze woonkamers binnengewandeld en verraste door haar militante en pittige poëtische insteek.

Selma getuigde over haar moeizame ervaringen als moslima, het onbegrip voor het dragen van een hoofddoek alsof haar dit werd opgedrongen. Het niet erkennen als een deel van haar identiteit of aan de bushalte waar haar gevraagd werd zich niet te verstoppen achter haar kledij.

Naima Charkaoui, voormalig directrice Minderhedenforum, nu bij 11.11.11. kwam o.a. vertellen over haar boek “Racisme, over wonden en veerkracht”. Op welke manier schaadt racisme onze gezondheid, wat bij wetenschappelijk onderzoek is bewezen.

Racisme gaat gepaard met angst, stress, onzekerheid en weegt op onze schoolprestaties, de sociale relaties, op de werkvloer. Het tast ons vertrouwen aan in de samenleving. Worden we begrepen? Aanvaard? Maar ze belichtte ook de veerkracht, het belang van support vanuit de omgeving, de kracht ook van het ontwikkelen van je eigen identiteit, cultuur en oorsprong en de fierheid die je daardoor ontwikkeld.

De zogenaamde ‘racismewijsheid’, het herkennen en benoemen. En uiteraard het grotere verhaal, het belang van structurele maatregelen en dwingende wetten. Ook even een verwijzing naar haar laatste essay rond ‘Open Grenzen’, de letterlijk moordende onverschilligheid tegenover het lot van vluchtelingen.

Lisette deed opnieuw een insteek, ze heette Amanda Gorman, “my sister”. Ze schreef een mooie respons en vervolg aan Amanda, de ‘inauguratiedichteres’, over de stilte die het meisje met de gele jas doorbrak.

Serge is een ondertussen erkende gewezen vluchteling, die heel sterk ijvert voor de rechten van Mensen zonder Papieren. Over de criminalisering na de aanslagen in Parijs en Brussel.

Het manco aan begrip en het onvermogen om de kracht, de intelligentie en inzicht van MZP te valoriseren. Hun meerwaarde voor de samenleving vanuit hun ervaring, kennis en competenties, het zijn talenten die men negeert en onbenut laat.

Nadien vertelde Esther (M.R.A.X.) vanuit drie begrippen, ras, paternalisme (o.a. kolonisatie) tot eerder een oproep tot bondgenootschap. M.r.a.x. ijvert voor diversiteit en het zichtbaar maken van structureel racisme en de noodzakelijke strijd daartegen.

Didier van Orbit tenslotte pleitte voor een gewetensonderzoek, het geven van ruimte aan mensen die mikpunt zijn van uitsluiting. Orbit wil geen ideologische vorming geven, wel leren aan burgers hoe ze weerbaarder kunnen worden, zowel in hun denken als gedrag.

Daarnaast uiteraard een effectief structurele aanpak, o.a. een actieplan, dat momenteel in bespreking is met de verschillende regeringen in ons land om de strijd tegen racisme ook in wetten en maatregelen af te dwingen.

De heel volle avond werd besloten door Dido (Change) de organisator van de Black Lives Matter betogingen, o.a. in Brussel. Hij slaagde er ondanks de strenge Covid toch in veel volk op de been te brengen om deze zere plek, ook in onze samenleving, bloot te leggen en op te roepen dit te helen.

Sarah deed nog een oproep vanuit Platform 21.03 om aanwezig te zijn (weliswaar beperkt live) ook online op de manifestatie Sta op Tegen Racisme van 21 maart (o.a. in Brussel en andere steden).

Dank aan de 120 aanwezigen vanavond. Volgende webinar HoC : 11 maart rond ‘(Over)leven zonder Papieren.