82 children to fly home, but who will pay airline?

THE 82 Sahrawi children who have spent the summer in Almeria will be able to return home thanks to an Algerian airline.

The children, who come from the refugee camps of Tindouf in Algeria, were brought to the province with the ‘Holidays in Peace’ programme organized by the Friends of the Sahara Association.

However, the association had worked their budget around a Provincial Grant which they later did not receive and were afraid at one point that they would not be able to send them home. Their visas run out at the end of this month. However, the airline came forward to take them back to Tindouf, but the association now has a debt of €25,000 with the airline.

The grant they were due to receive was promised to them two days before the elections by the former President of the Provincial Government but was never signed, and the new team claims that there is not enough money to pay it. Almeria City hall has promised a payment of €9,000 to help face the debt and the mayor said that he was sure the provincial government would do its best to help the association.

The Holidays in Peace programme may not be carried out next year in Almeria due to lack of funds.