Connecting Hands

14-02-2019 To facilitate refugees to acquire better jobs, the Education subcommittee organised a CV workshop. With help from the Marketing and Communication team, a presentation about "What makes a good CV?" was given followed by a tutorial session where the refugees worked on their CV. The students and refugees bonded over dinner as free pizza and drinks were provided. A new insight of skills was acquired and varied educational mindsets were on display in the resumes. In an evening of laughter, happiness and guidance, all refugees were helped with their resumes and departed the event with a CV ready to be ...

07-02-2019 On a fine Thursday evening, a large group of students and refugees came for ice skating in Enschede, a place just opposite the University of Twente. With the skates on, everyone eased onto the ice floor as they hit the skating rink. More than 70 participants gathered, enjoyed some drinks from the committee and had a great time together! ICE SKATING TWENTE Our sports subcommittee was looking for a place to organize a beautiful evening of ice skating and what better way to find ice skating in Enschede, just opposite the university?! So our committee members contacted them, then went ...

09-01-2019 As the Women Subcommittee of Connecting Hands we were deeply honored to hold our first event of the year: a Zumba workshop. It was an insightful experience since we could see how easy it is to connect with each other just by having a good time. We listened to the beat and our body, then left everything else behind during those hours. Thank you AZC Almelo and our joyful instructor Priscilla from Dance Passion for making this happy event possible. Let’s meet again at other activities!

19-12-2018 On the 19th of December, we celebrated Christmas together! We gathered around the christmas tree and played a dice game with presents. It was an evening full of story-telling, laughter and making friends. We ended the evening with a lesson on Dabke, a traditional Middle-Eastern dance!

29-11-2018 Last Christmas... the Women Subcommittee of Connecting Hands organized a crafting workshop to spend a cold winter day in a cozy atmosphere. 25 refugee women and 20 students came together to embellish the greyness of winter. On different stations, the women used their creativity to craft many useful and beautiful things, from dreamcatchers, window decorations and christmas cards to windlights. All the colorful, glittery and unique results were taken home afterwards. Delicious cookies, tea and coffee as well as traditional Dutch christmas sweets were offered. Of course, christmas classics were playing in the background, a special moment occurred when Arabic ...

14-11-2018 On the 14th of November an event was organized to show refugees their educational opportunities in the Netherlands. We introduced the UT and other options for a successful future. Most of us left this event with a bit more confidence and inspired to follow our dreams.

31-10-2018 On the 31st of October 2018, Connecting Hands went to Krazy Kangaroo for some trampoline action! With approximately 50 participants we turned the place upside down! After an hour of intense action and wild flips, we recovered with a nice snack and drink and discussed how exhausting it was!

25-09-2018 Connecting Hands collaborated with Studium Generale to organise a symposium reflecting on the refugee situation and post-war demographic of Syria. The symposium reflected on the question, "How to survive a war situation and make the best of it?" The first guest of the evening was Simone Gerard, a freelance photographer who went to Syria to see how people rebuilt ther lives in the destroyed city of Aleppo. She explained the stories behind the pictures she took - highlighting the difficulties people face as they walk several kilometres to get clean water. The second guest of the evening was Mohamad Mahayri; ...

10-07-2018 The pleasant weather with bright sun was the perfect day for an outdoor sports event. We decided to end the academic year on a high so our final event of the academic year was Summer beach volleyball. To celebrate the success of Connecting Hands together with refugees, we also organised a free BBQ for all participants with music from all over the world to have the perfect afternoon. We played in mixed teams together, picked each other up, shared meals and danced to the tunes of the world. There was an emotional end to the event as some students were ...

28-06-2018 Teaming up with Rico Latino, dance studio in Enschede, Connecting Hands at the UT provided a salsa workshop on Thursday evening. Over 25 students and refugees threw out some dance moves, after the teacher showed some instructions. SALSA WORKSHOP A wide mix of nationalities ranging from Iran, Syria, Cuba and Eritrea, 20 women from the AZC attended the workshop. Also a wide range in age, from 14 to 60 years, the workshop apparently attracted everyone! After a welcome drink, the group learned some steps first, and then went on to dance onto music, and performing real merengue moves. RICO LATINO ...