Books for Refugees and Migrants

We are collecting books for refugees and migrants in detention centres in Poland. People who seek asylum are forced to wait for months for life-changing bureaucratic decisions. The situation of refugees in most centres is dramatic. Hundreds of people face bleak existence in extremely overcrowded conditions, with little to no contact with the outside world. Computers and smartphones are banned, while internet access is strictly controlled. Boredom and hopelessness have a very negative effect on their mental health.

Let’s help them get through this time. Please contribute to Libraries Without Borders (Biblioteki bez granic)!

We are looking for:

✺ books for both adults and children in Kurdish (Sorani and Kurmanji), Arabic, Turkish, Dari, Pashto, Farsi. We are happy to accept all kinds of literature (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, comic books, photo albums, picture books for children, etc.), dictionaries and phrasebooks (e.g. Arabic – English, Arabic – German etc.), as well as textbooks for learning languages

✺ all kinds of simple board games, e.g. chess, backgammon, checkers, cards, puzzles, Rubik’s cubes
e-book readers

✺ Mp3 music players for audiobooks and music (but ONLY models without sound recording, e.g. old iPods)

✺ art supplies like drawing books, sketchbooks, crayons, paints, brushes, markers, (please NO glue or scissors)

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You can also donate money, which will allow us to buy the above-mentioned items. Follow this link to make a donation: www.zrzutka.pl/nytfuh

If you know any friends or institutions that can help us with this action, please share it with them!

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Donated books will go to centres in Biała Podlaska, Białystok, Czerwony Bór, Krosno Odrzańskie, Kętrzyn, Lesznowola, Przemyśl and Wędrzyn.

Some detainees have their individual needs which we try to meet. We will update this event with more details in the comments.

We kindly ask you not to donate materials with racist, misogynistic, homophobic or transphobic content to the fundraiser.

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This project is a part of Libraries Without Borders (Biblioteki bez granic), a campaign aimed at creating new and supporting existing libraries in detention centres for foreigners in Poland. This action is conducted by activists associated with Grupa Granica.

Thank you very much for your help!

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Above you can find the list of donation points, along with their working hours.

SHIPPING ADDRESS:
Fundacja Zmiana
ul. Brzeska 23, Bazar Różyckiego, 03-739 Warszawa
pon–sob: 7–17 (ONLY IN THESE HOURS)
telephone number for shipping: +48 607078155

Donation points located abroad will be announced soon.

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Matronat: Grupa Granica, Domy bez granic, Rodziny bez granic, Podróżnych Ugościć, Matki na granicę, Wydawnictwo Karakter, Instytut Spraw Publicznych, Podróżnych Ugościć, Salam Lab, Oyoun Berlin

Partnerki / Partners: FUNDACJA SALONY, Dizajn BWA Wrocław, Nowy Teatr, Marzyciele i Rzemieślnicy, LAS RĄK laboratorium rękodzieł, Galeria Stereo, Fundacja Bęc Zmiana, FUNDACJA ZMIANA, barStudio, Żywe Muzeum Piernika, Torunianka Cafe, Fundacja VERDA, Goyki 3 Art Inkubator, Dwie Zmiany, ZINEK, Vege Pizza, Teatr Polski w Poznaniu od 1875, Teatr Ósmego Dnia, PIES andaluzyjski, Galeria Miejska Arsenał w Poznaniu, DOMIE, Centrum Kultury ZAMEK w Poznaniu, Galeria Sztuki Współczesnej w Opolu, Fundacja Borussia, Galeria Labirynt w Lublinie, Dom Słów, Biblioteka Wolność, Biblioteka Miejska w Łodzi, Galeria Sztuki w Legnicy, Teatr im. Heleny Modrzejewskiej w Legnicy, Biblioteka MOCAK-u / MOCAK Library, MOCAK Muzeum Sztuki Współczesnej w Krakowie / Museum of Contemporary Art, Spółdzielnia Ogniwo, Instytut designu w Kielcach, Muzeum Emigracji w Gdyni, Ziemia, Kolonia Artystów, Instytut Kultury Miejskiej, Fundacja Chmura, Centrum Sztuki Współczesnej, Łaźnia, Galeria Miejska bwa w Bydgoszczy, Toniebajka. Księgarnia dla wszystkich, Galeria Arsenał w Białymstoku, Galeria im. Sleńdzińskich w Białymstoku, Lokator