São Paulo – The high number of people fleeing conflicts in theirs countries that seek asylum in Brazil increased the number of new Portuguese students in the courses offered by the non-governmental organization Libray and Research Center of Arab-South American Countries (Bibliaspa).
The free Portuguese classes are designed for the refugees and are divided in four modules. For the second semester of this year, seven groups were opened, with 150 students of more than 20 countries. Half of the students are Arabs, but there are also students from non-Arab African countries and Haiti. “We have been welcoming a lot of Syrians, Palestinians, Iraqis and also non-Arab African countries, such as Nigeria, Congo and Mali”, said to ANBA on Thursday (6th) Bibliaspa’s director and a professor at the São Paulo University, Paulo Farah.
In the classes, the students also get in contact with the Brazilian culture and the country’s costumes to help them adapt. But the challenges of these students go beyond this. A lot of them can’t get a job or have money and are dependent of donations and support.
Besides the classes, they receive food, donated clothing and assistance by volunteers, but Farah said that the institution needs the help to support the refugees. “Companies could participate in this project. Not always with money, but also with donation of food and clothing. We need medical volunteers that speak other idioms besides Portuguese, lawyers and teachers”.
One of the challenges faced by Bibliaspa and the refugees is to get money for transportation to the organization. “To pay R$ 7 is expensive for a refugee. We’re trying to get them student tickets, but it’s hard”, he said, mentioning the price of a bus or subway round-trip in São Paulo.
“Bibliaspa works with the topic of immigration and the issue of refugees since 2003, but the number of refugees arriving in Brazil become more significant and increased ten times between 2010 and 2014. We’re spending more time developing actions for the refugees. In the last three years, we intensified the classes, lectures and also our researches about the issue”, said Farah.
Those interested in participating in the course can fill out the registration form available in Portuguese, Arabic, French, English and Spanish in Bibliaspa’s website. Support institutions for refugees also have registration forms for them.
Service
Portuguese classes for refugees
Espaço Bibliaspa, Rua Baronesa de Itu, 639, Santa Cecília, São Paulo, SP
Information: 55 11 99609 3188 or via email direcao@bibliaspa.org.br
Registrations: www.bibliaspa.org
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
