In Belgium, local residents are offering refugees a place to stay

Monday, Jan 19, 2026

Voxeurop

Refugees in Belgium find support through grassroots initiatives despite systemic housing shortages and economic hurdles.

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[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

A Burundian refugee named Rose, who arrived in Belgium in 2024, is grateful for the support from the Brussels family of Yvon and Nathalie, provided by the association SINGA Belgium, after experiencing homelessness. Rose, a former nurse, is now training as a nursing assistant and hopes to eventually live in Belgium with her sons in Burundi. SINGA Belgium facilitates temporary hosting for newcomers, while another association, Convivial, provides temporary accommodation and support to Burundian women like Metty, Milinthia, and Naomi. Despite these grassroots efforts, asylum seekers in Belgium face a chronic lack of resources and housing, with official systems struggling to cope with increasing applications. While initiatives like SINGA Belgium and Convivial offer vital support, they are limited by systemic issues, including financial burdens on hosts and the precarious funding of associations. Despite these challenges, there is a strong spirit of solidarity, with individuals like Yvon aiming to demystify hospitality and Rose expressing a desire to help future arrivals.

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