Dilip is one of those truly special people who makes a world of difference. All the way from the USA, he returns to Brussels year after year to volunteer with Serve the City Belgium. This is his third year in a row! One of his favorite ways to give back is by joining us at our food outreach projects, such as our Lunch 4 All food distribution, which brings food to more than 350 homeless in the city every day.
“I used to volunteer through an organization called GlobalWare, that is a USA based organization. So, through them I used to go to India to teach in like a slam area, a poor people area. I went there three years in a row and then I thought ‘let me do something else’, so then I went to Cambodia with the same organization, and I taught English one again. And then, after Cambodia, COVID came in, so I didn’t go anywhere and then I read about IVHQ, and it was through them that I came to Serve the City. And then when I first came here, I thought it was a beautiful city and should keep coming.”
Dilip explains that when he first came to STC and returned home, there was a sense of satisfaction because he was able to volunteer at different places and projects. One of these places was La Porte d’Ulysse, a food distribution happening every day at a centre for homeless migrants in Schaerbeek, and that unfortunately was stopped due to a devastating fire. Dilip remembers how shocked and saddened he was by the news, thinking about the people who volunteered there, and certainly about the beneficiaries. That’s when he decided to get in touch with STC by email and was happily invited to come back, this time as a regular volunteer and ServeNow user. He then found out about the Humanitarian HUB and our distribution Lunch 4All.
When asked about the HUB, Dilip told us “The HUB is good, I like the people there. I’ve met Alisson, the first time I was here, I met Mahmoud, who works at the weekend and then there are other people, I see them, and they are still there.”. He appreciates the hands-on nature of Lunch 4 All, whether it’s packing meals or delivering them to those in need. He finds satisfaction in each role he plays.
Dilip has become another member of our volunteering family in Brussels. We look forward to welcoming him here for many more years and being encouraged by his strong will to make a positive impact on the world. Dilip inspiringly concludes;, ‘When you are blessed, you need to give back.'”
