Empowering migrants

Sicilian migration expert Katia Amore of Migration Island recently returned to Malta for the Eurofor conference. She writes about the two panels on Malta and the trip to the Marsa Open Centre:

Last December, the Eurofor conference in Malta was interesting. A variety of papers on different subjects were presented. This gave me a good chance to hear about areas of research in migration studies which are not directly linked to mine, moreover, I had the opportunity to meet a few friends and other researchers. Of particular importance to me the two panels on Malta and a trip to the Marsa Open Centre where successful refuge claimants and people with humanitarian protection are accommodated upon release from detention.

Terry Gosden’s presentation, during one of the panels on Malta, and the following debate gave us a first introduction to the issue. He explained what the centre is, how it works, who the residents are and what they do. He talked about the severe psychological conditions in which people arrive at the centre, traumatised by a conflict in the country of origin, a terrible journey to arrive to Malta and the previous experience in the close detention centres. Then he focused on the way in which he manages the centre and tries to motivate people to regain their agency through self and group empowerment. He stressed the point that they “are not a charity!”, the centre provides people with accommodation and other basic needs, and with guidance for self-organisation encouraging them to pursue certain initiatives as setting up “ethnic restaurants” for residents or buying a TV, or organising prayer groups, etc...

Previously on WT