The Citizens’ Platform BelRefugees, born out of a remarkable surge of volunteer solidarity in 2015 in response to the reception crisis, is now beginning a new chapter in its story. Its Board of Directors is being renewed, with the arrival of new committed members and the appointment of a new co-presidency: Bernard De Vos and Françoise Kemajou.
In less than ten years, BelRefugees has grown from an informal network of engaged citizens into a central actor in the reception of displaced persons in Brussels. It now employs over 300 salaried staff, mobilizes thousands of volunteers across Brussels and Wallonia, and has become the second largest operator in Brussels for shelter, reception, and orientation, with a capacity of nearly 1,200 beds and several local branches in Walloon regions (Hainaut, Walloon Brabant, Liège, etc.).
The nonprofit also coordinated a vast citizen-hosting network, mobilizing nearly 10,000 volunteer families across Belgium and providing over 200,000 nights of accommodation to people in exile. It also offers direct material aid (distribution of clothing, meals, and survival equipment), language and computer courses, as well as spaces for connection and listening, such as Le Café Monde, open to all.
This change in governance marks the departure of two deeply symbolic figures.
First, Alexis Deswaef, a lawyer and tireless defender of human rights, former president of the Belgian Human Rights League, current vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights, and a major figure of the Belgian civil society landscape. Present from the very beginning of BelRefugees, he helped establish a governance style that was both rigorous and activist, fully dedicated to the rights of displaced people. His commitment, integrity, and consistency have left a lasting mark on the organization’s history.
Also stepping down is Adriana Costa Santos, co-founder and outgoing co-president, whose involvement from the very inception of the nonprofit helped shape the DNA and political line of BelRefugees. A researcher, field worker, and advocate, she coordinated the entire citizen hosting initiative as well as the establishment and management of collective shelters. She notably created the Sister’s House, a safe and adapted shelter for exiled women, offering holistic psycho-medical-social and legal support.
This handover opens the door to a new dynamic. Bernard De Vos, former General Delegate for Children’s Rights, joins BelRefugees as co-president. An educator, Islamic scholar, and founder of several youth sector organizations, he is known for his unwavering commitment to migrant children and his bold stance against the detention of minors in closed centres.
Alongside him, Françoise Kemajou, executive director of the nonprofit Pour la Solidarité, will also take on the role of co-president. A longstanding figure in the nonprofit sector and a specialist in inclusion, diversity, and equality policies, she brings a strategic mindset grounded in reality and firmly oriented towards social transformation.
The new composition of the Board of Directors reflects BelRefugees’ desire to combine continuity, field experience, and openness to new perspectives. In addition to current board members – Florence Gérard, Michel Visart, and Gauthier Debock – the following individuals now join:
- Hania Ouhnaoui, a legal expert specialized in immigration law and in the right to equality and non-discrimination, currently legal advisor at the Human Rights League and assistant lecturer at ULB;
- Éric Husson, a social worker for over 25 years, committed to fighting homelessness, inequality, and social exclusion in Brussels. His field expertise, deep knowledge of the nonprofit landscape, and dedication to unconditional support further strengthen the link between governance and frontline realities
- Along with the two new co-presidents, Bernard De Vos and Françoise Kemajou.
“This new team combines institutional experience, field expertise, and political vision. It embodies our values: citizenship, solidarity, justice, and hospitality. In a context of increasingly hostile migration policies, we will continue – together – to defend the right to a dignified welcome for all,” says Mehdi Kassou, Executive Director of the Citizens’ Platform BelRefugees.
With this new governance, BelRefugees reaffirms its commitment to remain a collective, free, and combative force in service of people in exile.