MEERU – ABRIR CAMINHO
MEERU – Abrir Caminho is a Portuguese non-profit organization committed to building inclusive communities through proximity, dialogue, and social cohesion.
They work with migrant and refugee families, local volunteers, and community stakeholders to create meaningful connections and informal support networks that promote dignity, belonging, and active participation in society.
They believe that true integration happens when relationships of trust, affection, and solidarity are formed between people.
Their work focuses on:
- Community-based support through Proximity Teams of trained volunteers who accompany migrant and refugee families over six months, creating strong bonds of friendship and trust.
- A social business where migrant and refugee women produce handcrafted soap, inspired by Aleppo’s ancient soap-making tradition, offering pathways to economic inclusion and independence.
- A training program that combines artisanal soap production with personal development, including soft skills such as communication, time management, and financial literacy.
- A housing initiative that supports migrant and refugee families in rebuilding or constructing their own homes, while integrating into their neighborhoods and building community ties.
- A space for interfaith dialogue that brings together people of different religious traditions, fostering understanding and coexistence through shared encounters and public conversations.
- A platform that raises awareness on global humanitarian crises and migration flows, through the production and dissemination of articles, interviews, videos, and reflections.
- A safe and empowering space for Muslim women in Portugal to strengthen their identity, share their culture, and build bridges across communities.
- Intercultural community gatherings that bring together migrants, refugees, and local residents to share food, music, stories, and celebrate cultural diversity.
MEERU believes in an integrated vision of a sustainable, humane and social development, with People and their inherent, inviolable and inalienable dignity at the center of all motivations, decisions and actions.