Refugee Café launches fundraiser to help out-of-work refugees across Lewisham

By Alice Neil

A charity has launched a Crowdfunder to help refugees across Lewisham get work.

Refugee Café, which is run by local residents, half of whom have been refugees themselves, are crowdfunding to launch a cafe to help out-of-work refugees find jobs and provide affordable, healthy food in the heart of Lewisham.

The charity, which is currently based on Honley Road, is launching a crowdfunding campaign #HomeforRefugeeCafe, which will last for 5 weeks and aims to raise £20,000 in pledges to create a hub for refugees to meet, work, and learn new skills.

The Refugee Café was started in 2019 by Iolanda Chirico, founder of Action for Refugees in Lewisham, with the mission of providing employment opportunities for local refugees.

Iolanda said: “I have worked with refugees all of my life, previously working with Lewisham Refugee Network.

“In 2018 I ran a charity dinner for Action for Refugees in Lewisham, I saw what an amazing atmosphere there was, and how it brought together everyone in the local community.

“I wanted to do more to help out-of-work refugees in Lewisham, and after seeing how food can be such a powerful tool to break down barriers and start conversation, I knew starting a cafe was the way to do this”.

Since then, the team has been making a variety of foods that celebrate the different cultures of many of the refugees, including Syrian Pickles and Ecuadorian Chimichurri, that they sell at Catford Mews every Thursday and Saturday.

Head chef at the Refugee Café, Ismail said: “Working at the Refugee Café has made me part of the local community.

“I had nothing to do and was so bored staring at the ceiling all day not able to leave my room because of the pandemic.

“I was happy when I started to cook products for the market, and I am so happy to know they are selling well.

“I want to continue to share my knowledge about the food in Syria and share the wonderful cuisine from my country.”

Marco Munoz, trustee at Refugee Café, said: “As a refugee in the UK, my main challenge was the language barrier.

“At the time when I arrived in the UK, I’d had 25 years of teaching experience.

“However, I had to learn English and do my teacher training again.

“Refugee Café’s aim is to help people like me to be part of the community; helping refugees to learn the English language and be part of the community by developing their skills such as cooking, so that they can find work.

“Refugees can bring a lot of their culture, food and other traditions to the community where they are living.”

To help reach their fundraising target, The Refugee Café is also asking local restaurants to add an optional £1 donation to each bill in May.

As part of their fundraising campaign, there will be a fundraising event at Beckenham Place Park on May 29, which will include catering and music provided by those with lived experiences as a refugee, as well as talks and activities throughout the day.

Pledge to the campaign here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/refugeecafelewisham