THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
A group supporting African war refugees from Ukraine who are currently seeking refuge in Germany will hold two information sessions in May.
The virtual events, ‘Information Session on Studying in Germany’ and ‘Legal Advice for Africans from Ukraine’, are organised by Help for Africans from Ukraine in Germany (HAUG) to provide orientation guide for the refugees.
‘Information Session on Studying in Germany’, taking place on 6 May and at which students will be provided information on how to continue their studies in Germany, is organised in collaboration with Uni-Hamburg Hilft, a group at the University of Hamburg supporting refugee students from Ukraine.
Björn Stehn, a Hamburg-based lawyer who is specialised on migration issues, will address the session ‘Legal Advice for Africans from Ukraine’, which will take place on 11 May.
[Details of the webinars are at the end of the article].
According to a co-ordinator of HAUG, an initiative implemented by Horizon Resource Network e.V. and Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Germany e.V., Femi Awoniyi, Africans from Ukraine will have the benefit of hearing from experts at the virtual events and will receive answers to their questions.
“The most pressing need of the war refugees, especially Africans, is information,” Awoniyi, who is also the president of NIDO Germany, added.
While the legal situation of Ukrainian nationals seeking refuge in the European Union is clear, that of third country nationals, the category under which most Africans fall, is somewhat complicated. Hence, there is currently a lot of confusion about their fate as most of them would like to stay on in Europe.
“Our initiative therefore focuses on providing information to the African refugees to enable them make informed choices going forward,” Awoniyi explained.
HAUG emanated from a meeting convened by the NIDO Germany on 15 March 2022 at which measures to support Nigerians from Ukraine were discussed.
After consultations with other African groups, the scope of the initiative was extended to cover all Africans and indeed all those in need of support.
HAUG has a Helpline network of volunteers across Germany and runs a WhatsApp group, a Telegram group and a website to regularly share useful information relevant to Africans and others fleeing the war in Ukraine who are presently living in Germany.
Moreover, the group also offers other forms of support such as welcoming Africans arriving from Ukraine at train stations, finding them accommodation and accompanying them to government offices.
Sola Jolaoso
Information Session on Studying in Germany
Date: 6 May 2022, Time 5-7 pm
Link to join the webinar:
https://zoom.us/j/91287988296?pwd=c3RBM1Qzc3NZTDcyOGwrZS9SUFpTQT09
ID: 912 8798 8296
Passcode: HAUG
Legal Advice for Africans from Ukraine
Date: 11 May 2022, Time: 6-8 pm
Link to join the webinar:
https://zoom.us/j/96894465092?pwd=NUFHcGtheDU1T0VJK2Z1aUs3RC9RQT09
ID: 968 9446 5092
Passcode: HAUG
CONTACT
Femi Awoniyi
Co-ordinator, HAUG
President, NIDO Germany e.V.
Office Phone: +49 30 2300 7440
Mobile Phone: +49 162 104 6039
E-Mail: f.awoniyi@nido-germany.de
Website: www.nido-germany.de
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