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“Putting the smiles back onto people’s faces” – Helping refugees, asylum seekers, migrants & everyone else in Peterborough!”
Moez is a dear friend, and is well-known to everyone at Civil Society Consulting CIC. For several years, the team has helped Moez as community leader to grow and develop his excellent charity designed to support all communities in the city, especially refugees, asylum-seeker and migrants. He is PARCA’s founder Chief Executive.
Moez was a refugee himself, from the Congo, and he has worked ceaselessly to ensure PARCA (Peterborough Asylum & Refugee Community Association) is the established and much-valued multicultural organisation it is today, one that tirelessly champions social inclusion within society. The charity actively celebrates diversity and encourages integration.
Everyone at PARCA, driven my Moez’s energy, commitment and faith, has continued to support communities during the lockdown. Not only have they brought the local community together through using online services, but they have responded to the massive demand from asylum seekers and others for emergency food. They have done shopping for those that were compelled to shield. They have distributed food and even toys to local children. The local MP Paul Bristow dropped by to help out during the crisis.
As Moez explains: “We wanted to respond to the stress we saw in the people, to help them and to bring back smiles to their faces. I want to see people smile and be happier. There were so many people struggling, who needed food and our support to overcome their hardships.
We have provided regular Covid updates as well and encouraged people to come forward to have their vaccine. It is vital and common sense that people come forward for their vaccination. I am so very proud of this country, the way it helps all the people – whoever you are.
We work closely with GPs and the health-service professionals, and this includes passing on information and translation.”
As front line organisation PARCA has excelled during lockdown, and talking to Moez you feel that the community spirit is very much alive and well. People have pulled together. Moez is very motivated by his Christian faith and feels called upon to help those less fortunate and experiencing poverty. “ God calls me to do this work – without God, I am zero” he says.
