Ter Apel Spirit
KLABU’s new clubhouse is helping welcome unaccompanied minors to the Netherlands through our common passion and love for sports.
The situation
The images of Ter Apel, the overcrowded central reception centre for asylum seekers in the Netherlands, did not escape anyone's attention in 2022.
Among the large crowds, a small but extremely vulnerable group of refugees caught our attention: the unaccompanied underage asylum seekers. There are few positive distractions for these young people during their stay in Ter Apel as they are dealing with boredom and trauma.
KLABU is now unlocking the power of sport in the reception centre to let the young people play, make friends and find relief.
The situation
The images of Ter Apel, the overcrowded central reception centre for asylum seekers in the Netherlands, did not escape anyone's attention in 2022.
Among the large crowds, a small but extremely vulnerable group of refugees caught our attention: the unaccompanied underage asylum seekers. There are few positive distractions for these young people during their stay in Ter Apel as they are dealing with boredom and trauma.
KLABU is now unlocking the power of sport in the reception centre to let the young people play, make friends and find relief.
The Project
Ter Apel has a sports hall and sports fields, but there is a lack of material and people to organise activities. The KLABU clubhouse ensures that young people in Ter Apel get moving and take the first steps towards a better future.
With the help of a library system, unaccompanied minors can borrow sports equipment and sportswear. KLABU and its partner organisations also organise regular sports activities and broadcast live sports. Through exercise, sport and building friendships, we hope that these young newcomers can build their self-confidence and feel welcome in our country.
Guided by professional artists, the youths also painted their clubhouse and sports court with vibrant KLABU colours and energy in order to make the area more welcoming and bright.
Meet our trainer Onyekachi
ESPN visited out project and made this beautiful video. Meet our team member Onyekachi, former Nigeria under-23 team player, who goes to Ter Apel to train a group of unaccompanied minors who like him, have fled their countries, now live in the Netherlands and just want to keep playing with unbeatable spirit.
Watch
Meet our trainer Onyekachi
ESPN visited out project and made this beautiful video. Meet our team member Onyekachi, former Nigeria under-23 team player, who goes to Ter Apel to train a group of unaccompanied minors who like him, have fled their countries, now live in the Netherlands and just want to keep playing with unbeatable spirit.
WatchKLABU will continue to work closely with its partners to further improve the project and ensure that all unaccompanied minors who arrive in Ter Apel are welcomed with dignity, love and sports.
A big thank you...
to all organisations and individuals who made this project possible. To COA Nederland for working so closely with us and supporting us along the way. To UEFA Foundation for Children, Nederlandse Loterij, ESPN and Jenaplanschool Wittevrouwen school in for contributing funds. To Loods121 for turning the container into a clubhouse, to VAAF for painting the container together with the Ter Apel community, to TPV Cares for donating quality TV and sound, to Nike for donating quality sports materials, to ESPN for giving access to broadcast matches and to 3x3 Unites, Basic-Fit and ApenkooiGym for providing fantastic workouts.
