HIBAPRESS
While temperatures in the Netherlands drop at night to minus eight degrees, and the streets gradually empty with the atmosphere of Christmas celebrations, where the Dutch prefer to spend this occasion inside their homes, the east of Amsterdam looks calm from the outside as usual, trams and buses pass almost empty, the lights are still on, and everything suggests that life is going on normally, but behind closed doors, it reveals another reality, silent and harsh, poverty that does not scream, but freezes.
In those cold homes, the elderly live hesitating to turn on the heating for fear of energy bills, single mothers sacrificing their meals so that their children get something warm, and people without residence permits or any social safety net, no protests, no public demands, only heavy silence and cold that gnaws at bodies and dignity together.
For the Friendship Association, this scene is neither urgent nor seasonal, but a daily reality that it has been experiencing for decades, as Mr. Ahmed, as most Moroccans in the Netherlands call him, believes that poverty is not a choice, but a situation in which a person may find himself without prior warning, and that dignity must remain preserved no matter how difficult the circumstances.
With this faith, Ahmed Al-Masri has been leading social work since 1989, making the association a humanitarian haven for the most vulnerable groups in Amsterdam.
What began as a simple local initiative has, over the years, turned into a firm field work, based on being close to people, not working on their behalf, this Friendship Association visits those who do not reach the traditional institutions, isolated elderly people, people of immigrant origins who are not registered, neighbors who live in harsh isolation, and families who have fallen outside all support programs.
During the Christmas "basket" distribution campaign for the year 2025, the association set a goal to deliver assistance to 300 residents of the neighborhood, as the need this year has reached unprecedented levels.
On December 21st, more than 200 baskets were distributed, consisting of boxes containing essential daily necessities, from food and necessary products, in an initiative that brought back to mind the meaning of "basket" as Moroccans know it: silent support that preserves dignity above all else.
Despite the importance of this achievement, it carried a disturbing message, which is that the need still exists, and that there are those who have not yet received assistance, as poverty, as those in charge of the association say, does not recognize holidays or seasons.
What makes this poverty more severe is its concealment, many beneficiaries do not ask for help, not because they do not need it, but because shame prevents them. Some entered the distribution headquarters trembling, not only from the cold, but from tension, an elderly woman received her basket and whispered.. "I thought I was forgotten." A single father, could not hold back his tears, said.. "This is more than food, this is a feeling that someone is thinking about us."
The distribution process was not just a logistical procedure, but a deep human moment. Soft music, honest dialogue, moments of shared silence, and smiles slowly returned to faces exhausted by waiting, the volunteers did not rush anyone, listened, shook hands, and gave time and attention, for many, it was the first time in weeks that they felt they were seen.
The volunteers played a pivotal role in the success of this initiative, where they chose to give their time and effort in a country where time is considered a valuable value, and is summarized in the well-known Dutch saying "Time is money." Volunteers from different nationalities, including Moroccans, Algerians, and Eritreans, along with other nationalities, came together in one spirit of solidarity, and were keen to provide an atmosphere of respect and human warmth, and their role was not limited to organizing the distribution process, but also included accompanying the beneficiaries with a kind word and a sincere smile, in moments in which many of them expressed their gratitude and emotion, confirming that this giving was for the volunteers before the beneficiaries a deep human experience.
The Friendship Association also pays special attention to the elderly who are most vulnerable, those who live in social isolation and suffer from health problems, and are often ashamed to ask for help. For them, the Christmas "basket" does not only mean food, but it means the visit, warmth, and human appreciation, so the association conducts regular home visits, monitors needs and often intervenes before any official intervention, with limited resources but with a great spirit of solidarity.
In a statement about this initiative, the Friendship Association, through its president Ahmed Al-Masri, expressed its deep gratitude to all donors, volunteers and partners, and at the head of them is the municipality of Amsterdam, humanitarian organizations, the Red Cross, in addition to the residents of the neighborhood and local companies, who have proven that solidarity is a daily act and not a fleeting slogan.
Despite the success of this event, poverty did not end with the end of the celebrations, after the lights are turned off and life returns to its usual routine, many remain facing a long and harsh winter. And for this, the Friendship Association continues its work, every day, throughout the year, with human closeness and quiet perseverance.
