LONDON: On Thursday, charity workers said, refuge seekers in Italy have reunite to assist savior of the Italy quake which killed at least 250 people, by donating money and helping to clear up after the disaster,
In the southern region of Calabria more than 70 refugees and refuge seekers gave up a daily allowance for personal expenses of 2 euros ($2.30) to help survivors.
Giovanni Maiolo, local coordinator of the SPRAR project (Protection System for Refugees and Asylum Seekers) told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, “picture and video of earthquake made them think of the wars and disasters they fled from,”
On early Wednesday, 6.2 magnitude quake shake a cluster of a mountain communities 140 km (85 miles) east of Rome, people were sleeping destroyed the 100 of homes.
The number could be rise as rescue team working to find survivors under the debris of flattened towns for second day.
In Arquata del Tronto, where the quake killed almost 50 people, Abdullai, an refuge seeker from Benin, has been helping with the clear-up work.
Abdullai, said it was a first earthquake he experienced and realizing disturbing cost, hence he decide to assist survivor.
Thomson, a 20 year old told to Reuters Foundation by telephone, “At first I was very scared,” and “Then I understood that they needed as much help as possible, and I want to do my part.”
He is part of a group of 17 refuge seekers who have spent the day weeding and cleaning an area chosen to be an emergency operations centre.
Abdullai said, “I am a bit tired,” who came to Italy year ago ater leaving Benin because of ethnic and religious discrimination.
He said, helping to others make me more strong too and this is much beautiful than paid job.
Letizia Bellabarba, a coordinator of GUS said, they had come up with an idea to charity that hosts refuge seekers.
“They said that Italy welcomed and helped them, and it was now their turn to help Italians,” she said.
GUS held around 50 refuge seekers in the area, and they will be working in groups of 15 or 20 per day, coordinated by Italy’s Civil Protection Department.
Director of Centri Damasco, an organisation that helps refugees, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, 10 more refugee volunteers reached the annihilate areas this morning from the southern region of Benevento, Paolo Di Donato.
Maiolo said, 100 people had move with rescue operation that Centri Damasco has also offered to host them, it includes 1000 of people and millions of euros, this help may seem to be so small, but their value goes beyond their tangible impact.
“We hope that the kind of initiatives help fight stereotypes and misconceptions about refugees and migrants,” he said.
