Outreach Series #1: Advocacy
Somali Outreach Project with the Somali Association of South Africa
Members of SASA raised many of the issues facing the refugee community in Bellville with the Advocacy Programme and the outreach project was jointly developed as a response to better reach those in need. The project began in late 2014 and involves weekly trips by the Advocacy Programme to SASA’s Bellville office to assist individuals on a walk-in basis. The Bellville suburb, located roughly 25 kilometres east of the city centre, hosts a large community of Somali nationals as well as refugees from other countries such as Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Since the project began, the Advocacy Programme and SASA have assisted over 500 individual clients and have held meetings with police and healthcare providers on issues affecting refugees in the area.
