The Syrians of Bulgaria: Charity Starts at Home

Novinite Insider | January 11, 2017, Wednesday // 14:00

(continued from Divided, Depleted and Dispirited - The Syrians of Bulgaria)

Many prominent members of the Syrian community in Bulgaria have poured time and money into helping their compatriots who arrived as refugees, fleeing war in the homeland.

Almost 20,000 Syrians have applied for asylum in Bulgaria since 2011, the peak coming in 2015. Very few have remained, however, with all but a few hundred opting to build a new life in more prosperous Western Europe.

Abu Kamal's kebab shop, for example, became a self-styled "refugee hub", with many Syrian refugees showing up to ask for assistance.

Abu Kamal also bought a warehouse to store clothes that were later handed out to refugees.

The anti-Assad group the Free Syria Association has handed out humanitarian aid packages, while its splinter group, the Syrian Democratic League, shows refugees and migrants around Sofia, giving them valuable tips on how to secure documents, a home or a job.

The ASB, the regime-affiliated group, also told BIRN it had been working with refugees.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Novinite Insider » Be a reporter: Write and send your article

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria