Being engaged uncomplicated and effectively in refugees: The project „Flüchtlinge mitnehmen (picking up refugees)“ in the Ruhr diocese.
These were only two stops, it did not lead to a conversation. Nevertheless, Tobias has the meeting well in memory. It was the first time that he could take a fled in the suburban train free of charge with his semestre ticket. For Tobias it meant little expenditure, for the fled it was a helpful contribution to more mobility.
Already for over one year the project „Flüchtlinge mitnehmen (picking up refugees)“ is a part of Tobias Nitschke’s everyday life. At that time a friend of the Bochum student had heard from the project through Facebook and had simply laid out some of the badges in the students council room of the classics. With that, the interest of the others in the project was woken up fast. Since then Tobias has the badge always with him, he has fastened it to the backpack where it doesn’t interfere, but can be seen very well.
In the beginning he has already asked himself whether this will work or not. Although he lives near a initial reception center, he was only demanded by two young men for the first time after several months in the suburban train. They asked him on English if he could take one of them up to the central station. On both sides nervousness lay in the air. The two young men spoke to him very friendly and thanked and said goodbye as friendly. Even if it has lasted for a while, until he could really take somebody with him for the first time, he noticed that he was demanded already straight by fled and was asked for the way. This leads back to the badge. The badge is recognised, in the meantime and the fled know that they can find helpful people there. Tobias thinks completely positive about the project and also many in his circle of friends carry the badges. It is no big expenditure and one can quite simply make a small contribution to the support of fled people in the everyday life.
With the project „Flüchtlinge mitnehmen (pickung up refugees)“ everybody who has a ticket with which he can take another person free of charge, as for example with the semestre tickets of the students, can take part in North Rhine-Westphalia at certain times. One simply carries the blue badge and signifies himself to refugees for example in train stations, bus stops etc. At the moment one gets the badge in Duisburg, Essen, Bochum and Cologne.
