Play On: The Story of a Young Man from Senegal at Ukrainian Voices RC Shelter
“Could we possibly reschedule the interview? Abdoulaziz Sall has an appointment at that time…” the shelter coordinator asks me. She is referring to one of the residents who arrived in Brussels just a few months ago. For him, these meetings are a top priority right now: paperwork, administrative procedures, official appointments.
Sall lives in one of the shelters run by Ukrainian Voices RC and is building his future step by step. We manage to speak during a short break between his meetings. Before coming to Belgium, this friendly young man lived in Senegal, pursued higher education, and played football professionally.
“Football has always been an important part of my life. It’s my passion! Back home, I played in the second division for Renaissance Dakar. Now I’m with a Belgian club that plays in the P2 division. It’s called Beauvechain. I joined them recently, during the second half of the season. But I think I’ll soon be playing in all the return matches. I truly believe I can make it to a professional club. Still, I’m only at the beginning of my journey. It’s an amateur division, but when I play, I deliver results and score goals – other clubs can notice me (why not?) and maybe even offer me a professional contract in the first or second division.”
The first weeks were not easy for Sall, as they aren’t for anyone in a new country. Everything had changed: the cultural environment, the climate, his daily routine. Instead of parents, brothers, and sisters, he now had roommates.
Today, the shelter is more than just a roof over his head. It is a point of stability while he goes through the legalization process – a space where he can focus on his next steps. Here, he receives administrative support and has all the essential conditions for living.
“Before coming to Belgium, my life was not easy. I faced many difficulties. That’s why I decided to leave Senegal – to have a more stable life and to be safe. It was a difficult choice, but I believe it was the right one for me. I’m living at the Ukrainian Voices RC shelter because I applied for protection. I have to stay here as part of the procedure I’m going through. Yes, I already have a basic knowledge of French – I can express myself. But at the shelter, they help me a lot, especially with administrative matters.”
Every day, Sall keeps in touch with his family in Senegal. His mother is usually the first to write – she wants to make sure he’s okay.
“I talk to my mom, my dad, my younger brothers and sisters. My mom often sends me messages. I tell her everything. And even when it’s sometimes hard here, I say that everything is fine. To reassure her.”
Every night, around 500 people find shelter in Ukrainian Voices facilities in Brussels. Behind that number are hundreds of life stories – people with different professional backgrounds, different levels of education, families, and dreams. Yet they share something in common: difficult life circumstances and a longing for stability.
