Meet Paulo, our Filmowend mat Frënn Volunteer!

1. What is your background and why did you decide to start volunteering with Serve the City?

I’m a newly arrived Portuguese, graduated in Economics, that came to Luxembourg to join the rest of my family. I always was very keen on helping those that have lesser opportunities in life, and usually I never say ‘no’ when there is a chance to help others.  After my arrival, I was looking for a place to do some volunteer work and Serve the City was the first positive answer I had. What I found was a group of friendly and interesting people, a joyful and relaxed atmosphere, with diverse and captivating activities with the goal of changing our society for the better. So I’m here to stay!

2. Please tell us a little about Filmowend mat Frënn?

Filmowend mat Frënn is a project created by Serve the City with the objective of entertaining the asylum seekers present in some of the shelters existing in Luxembourg-Ville. The idea is to take the cinema to the shelters by doing some movie sessions in the afternoon for the kids, and in the evening for the adults, possibly once a week.

3. Can you describe what you do at Filmowend mat Frënn?

I’m one of the volunteers that organizes the sessions in the shelters of Gasperich (for adults) and Limperstberg (for adults and kids).

4. What do you think Filmowend mat Frënn means to those people who benefit from the project?

It means a lot. For them it’s much more than a movie session. It’s like a pause in their lives. It’s a place where they can be with others, to talk about the movie and share ideas, have fun and where they can put their problems aside. It’s easy to see that it makes a difference in their lives when at the end of the day they come up to you to thank you personally, and sometimes they also ask or give you some ideas for the next sessions.

5. Are there any restrictions on volunteering for Filmowend mat Frënn, such as language barriers or can you literally benefit from anyone stepping forward to volunteer their time?

No. Everyone interested in the project can jump in. Language is not a barrier at all. Many of the asylum seekers don’t speak any of the Luxembourgish official languages so it’s ok if you also don’t speak it!

6. What do you enjoy most about working with Serve the City?

Everything. The awesome people, the good atmosphere, the interesting activities, the fact that language is never a barrier, the fact that you only volunteer when you can, etc. I only have good things to say about it. It’s truly an amazing association!

Thank you Paulo for all that you do!