The heart of Wessling - also for refugees

Created: 06/01/2022, 08:00

In the "Mannequin Chamber" of the neighborhood help: Doris Baase and Jörg Hohmann.

© Juliana Daum

The NBH Weßling invited to a press conference to inform about the situation regarding the refugees from the Ukraine in the village.

Conclusion: The volunteers did a great job again - and are still doing it.

Wessling

– The Weßlinger See has a heart shape.

A small heart nestles against this big heart – that of the Weßling neighborhood help (NBH) in the Seehäusl.

This heart beats reliably and strongly for everyone who needs help.

Since the beginning of the war, it has been the refugees who arrived in Wessling at the beginning of March, mostly from eastern Ukraine, most of whom were women and children.

But there are also some men, because in families with more than three children or one disabled child, the father is allowed to leave the country.

The NBH Weßling immediately reactivated its structures from the refugee crisis in 2015 and got started with 25 helpers, reported Claudia Bruns during a press conference in the Seehäusl.

They help both the refugees and the volunteers who have organized themselves at the integration point Weßling, the so-called "IPW".

The willingness to help of the people of Wessling was enormous, all around 80 refugees were housed privately.

As a result, the helpers faced many challenges that were not foreseeable at the beginning.

The NBH took over the application for the refugees, registered them with the municipality and took care of official formalities in order to support the landlords.

A so-called “declaration of assistance” followed, as the volunteer Jörg Hohmann explained, so that the refugees could receive benefits.

The network of clubs also proved to be a great help.

For example, the cooperation with the "Radlwerkstatt", which offers used bikes or help with repairs.

The "mannequin room", as the volunteer Doris Baase calls the clothing room in the NBH with a laugh, also helped.

There are not only clothes, but also satchels, shoes, games and prams.

The well-attended "meeting cafe" is open every Monday from 3 to 5 p.m. "and a place of well-being for all refugees," says Bruns.

"For the Ukrainians, the Seehäusl is the heart of Wessling," says Bruns, who, with Hohmann, is the contact person for the landlords.

German courses for adults take place there every day.

Meanwhile, the children are looked after.

There are German lessons for the children in elementary school – even during the holidays.

"The cooperation with the community works very well," says NBH chairwoman Monika Toews.

And since the first landlords are "running out of breath", as Mayor Michael Sturm puts it, the next task awaits.

Many private housing providers wished for more privacy again.

Therefore, some refugees will soon move into housing provided by the municipality, including in the Weßlinger train station (we reported).

Who helps?

The volunteers of the NBH.

Juliana Daum