2024-01-10 18:48:00
King Philippe and Federal Pensions Minister Karine Lalieux visited a Red Cross homeless shelter in Schaerbeek on Wednesday.
At the Train Hostel, near Train World in the Brussels municipality, 110 homeless people are currently housed as part of the Brussels-Capital Region’s “Great Cold” plan, coordinated by Bruss’Help. Twelve families with children or people in asylum procedures are among these people.
Upon his arrival, the head of state spoke with workers from the Red Cross center. He then spoke with families in the center, including the Nunes family, of Portuguese and Congolese origin, or the Krim family, of Moroccan origin. “Belgium is a country that helps a lot of people,” said the father of the Nunes family to the King. The monarch also spoke with a 23-year-old man in the asylum procedure and who does not yet benefit from a reception structure.
The King thanked the Red Cross for the efforts carried out daily in the reception center. “Congratulations for everything you do”did he declare.
“It is important that the King visits this center, because it shows that he is committed to all the people who lead daily efforts on the ground”for her part expressed Karine Lalieux. “It’s important to show solidarity with the homeless”added the minister.
The cold claimed a first victim on Tuesday evening in Ixelles. “It’s a tragedy”comments Ms. Lalieux. “The Brussels Region took measures on the front line, the federal government on the second line. It is possible that this man refused shelter”she adds, specifying that an investigation will have to determine what exactly happened.
According to the minister, this type of emergency reception center must remain open in the future. “But on a national scale, we are also working on ‘Housing First’ measures. It is a structural approach which supports homeless or poorly housed people towards housing. They are supported for several months, even years, by psychologists, social workers and doctors”, explains Karine Lalieux once more. One of the priorities of the Belgian presidency of the European Union is to eradicate homelessness in Europe by 2030.
In total, 5,045 reception places are available all year round in Brussels, including 3,084 emergency reception places. In total, more than 7,000 people are poorly housed in the capital, or homeless, according to the latest estimates.
The distribution of homeless people to different reception centers, including those of Samusocial and the Train Hostel in Schaerbeek, is done on the free Samusocial hotline: 0800/99.340.
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