NADOE organized training for Red Cross Flanders personnel working with migrants from Afghanistan in January 2023 

The Network of Afghan Diaspora Organizations in Europe (NADOE) organized training sessions for the Belgian Red Cross (Flanders) in Ghent, Hasselt, and Mechelen. These training sessions were held for the Red Cross’s personnel that are in contact with Afghan newcomers in their daily jobs. They work in different reception centers for asylum seekers run by the Red Cross. The participants of the training came from different backgrounds, experiences, and roles in the reception center which included social assistants, medical personnel, counselors, and psychologists.   

The Training “Afghans on the move” provides background on Afghanistan’s culture, history, and methods for conflict prevention. The aim of the training is to provide a cultural understanding of the residents of Afghanistan through a historical, political, and sociological lens. This cultural understanding in turn will provide the toolkit for the personnel in contact with Afghan newcomers to navigate the assumed differences and difficulties. The training is designed in a very interactive way to involve participants’ experiences and input. The training is divided into two different parts: a lecture, and a workshop. The first part of the training provides a lecture on the history, politics, ethnicities, and society of Afghanistan. The second part of the training consists of workshops on different topics, these topics vary from ‘family life’ and ‘parenting’ to taboo topics of ‘sexuality’ and ‘mental health’. The participants in the workshop share their understandings, experiences, and difficulties they face when it comes to these topics with Afghans. NADOE experts discuss the topic with participants and provide insider knowledge and tips on how to tackle difficulties during their work with migrants from Afghanistan.   

NADOE has a diverse group of experts with relevant academic backgrounds, experiences, and personal histories relating to Afghanistan and its residents. In each training session and specifically for the workshops, we offer a balanced combination of experts from different perspectives. The combination takes into consideration gender diversity, experience with Afghans as a non-Afghan, and an Afghan cultural expert with academic background.