Eyes on
the price

Our « Embrace it » project is based on the integration of migrants by sport. As part of this work, we wanted you to get to know Asama, his passion for sport and the importance of the Royal Brussels Cricket Club in his life. We’ll try to portray you how determining the practice of a sport can be for migrants as for anyone. Sport is a key for building important personal aspects after arriving in a new country. It offers self-confidence, positivity, a social life, wellness and even more.

Asama, 19 years old, is a cricket player living in Rixensart, Belgium. When he's neither at home nor playing cricket you may find him at school as a 4th grader (Belgian system) in La Hulpe.

Because of his situation following classes is a struggle. He has to work hard every night in order to catch up with his classmates and get his homeworks done in time.

Cricket appears to be his gateway and a glimpse to his past life in Afghanistan.

Cricket is a particularly popular sport in Great Britain as in the Commonwealth (India, Pakistan, Afghanistan,…). Cricket games are played between 2 teams of 11 players on an oval pitch of about 140 meters. There's an area in the middle of the field where the innings are battled. It’s a bat-and-ball game whose goal is to disqualify opponent's players. Depending on the form of a game it can last from a couple of hours up to several days.

Asama is a second-team player of the Royal Brussels Cricket Club aspiring to get playing time with their top-flight team. This club is based in Lasne, a wealthy town in the green suburbs of Brussels. The RBCC is the oldest cricket club in Belgium and hosts the national ground. Cricket is far from being the most popular sport in the country. But it's developing fast under the impetus of the very present British community.

Nick is the Club’s chairman and coach of the first team. He came in Belgium in 2000 and joined the club 4 years later. He’s struggling to develop his club and the presence of cricket in Belgium since then. His goal is to stay in the top of bests clubs in Belgium but also to maintain the values of passion, equality and self-confidence in his teams.

When asked about migrant's integration, especialy Asama's one, Nick was proud of telling us about RBCC's open-door policy and how fast Asama found his spot among the members.

On the occasion of the Royal Brussels Cricket Club Awards’ night we had the opportunity to meet Nick Compton and to have a quick chat about his club, the benefits of sport for refugees and the presence of Asama in his club.

This dinner was also the opportunity for the members of the club to meet each other during the post-season’s break. Asama was present and helped the cookers serving meals.

Asama and his team

Asama has been living in a Fedasil center for 3 years. Fedasil is the federal organization responsible for the support of asylum seekers in Belgium. The center offers him his own room, educators helping him with his homeworks and activities both in the center and outside.

When speaking with Asama about the refugee center it's really easy to feel his mixed opinion. Even if he shows a great deal of gratitude for all that is put at his disposal, ha can't help admitting the difficulties of living in a refugees center, the feeling of crushing and lack of freedom.

When he had to leave his country, Asama was still a 15 years old kid. A very long trip crossing many countries was ahead of him. He considers this journey the hardest step in his life. Some days and nights will never leave his memories. This 9 months journey had a horrific start in Pakistan on his way to Iran where the situation got extremely dangerous.

Asama and his group had to begin a walk of several days through mountains and forests bordering Iran. Suffering from intense tiredness, thirst and hunger, he saw people giving up one by one. As he saw death from close, fear is the only emotion emerging along those memories.

Fortunately, he was within the ones who survived and got the chance to follow the "adventure". Even if crossing other countries and borders was less hard, it has never been an easy ride. However, the crossing of Middle East, the entry in Europe and the constant presence of fear is still a trauma for Asama today.

When questioned about bringing his family to Belgium, he only considers paying them a flight in order to arrive legally. He can't imagine them endure such a violent trip.

Now that all this is behind him, the last step of his endless journey is being recognised as a refugee. If Asama's future is still uncertain, there's one thing he knows : he can't go back to Afghanistan.

For all these years, he has also put all the chances on his side by making every effort to integrate. That was a quite happy task at the Cricket Club but, on the other hand, it isn't the same story at school for which he has truly been working hard every day.

Unfortunately, his good integration doesn't guarantee him any state recognition. He now strongly believes he belongs to Belgium. And a negative answer to get the status of refugee would instantly annihilate 4 years of traveling, fighting with the local administration and building new friendships.