Supported projects

BELGIUM - How difficult is the balancing act between working on the Flemish labour market and believing in the Islamic god? With that question, Elisabeth Ackaert went to five Muslims living in Belgium.

USA - America elects a new president, but what do new Americans like people from Antwerp (Belgium) who started a different life in the States years ago, think about that? For ten weeks journalist Niels Daniel and cameraman Nico Beckers travelled through four American states to find out: New Jersey, Colorado, Georgia and New York. 

BENIN - The social and ecological drama of Nigeria's oil industry is a well-known fact in the West. A story that is directly connected but largely unknown, however, is how neighbouring Benin has become dependent on illegal oil smuggle from Nigeria for its fuel supply. One of the most conspicuous things about the Benin oil smugglers are the disabled smugglers on their strange Vespa tricycles.

In spite of the efforts made by NGOs and the distribution of EU funds, Europe’s main minority is no better off than it was 10 years ago. Anno 2012 the significant proportion of Europe’s 12 million Roma live in deplorable conditions. Ethnic tensions are on the rise. Dutch journalist Hellen Kooijman reconstructed more than ten years of failed European policy. A lack of appropriate supervision in Brussels, the corruption of local leaders and the indifference of national governments are at the root of the problem. 

This book is based on thirty memorable life stories of youngsters who set out on a walk. How do they remember the trek? How do they look back on it? What did that journey mean for the rest of their lives? Also thirty compagnons voice their thoughts - parents, counselors and juvenile court judges.

Baharak Bashar was thirteen when she fled from Iran to Belgium with her mother. Away from the ayatollah's and their religious narrow-mindedness. Towards the Free West. But half a life later, she goes the other way. Why is she, the militant freethinker, suddenly so interested in the Koran? And what about that young Syrian's statement that in democracies you can talk freely but no one listens?

BELGIUM - Eight underage asylum seekers were followed by Catherine Vuylsteke for one year. The Nadaar collective and three guest photographers each portrayed one of the youngsters.

In Silent Stories Hanne Phlypo and Catherine Vuysteke follow two men and two women from Algeria, Senegal, Iraq and Guinea whose sexual orientation forced them to leave their country - wether they were bisexual, homosexual, lesbian or transsexual. Three of them are rebuilding their lives in Belgium, for the fourth, the Iraq transsexual Sarah, long years of waiting have finally resulted in political asylum and the prospect of a gender operation.