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About ASSAF
ASSAF (Hebrew acronym for “Organization for Aiding Refugees”) is an Israel non-profit organization that was founded by Yiftach Millo, an MA graduate of Development Studies who worked for ten years with refugees and internally displaced persons in Africa through Oxfam, UNICEF, HIAS, and other international organizations. Upon his return to Israel, Yiftach recognized the real need to establish an operational presence that would combine humanitarian and psychosocial responses to the relatively new influx of refugees from Africa. Following intensive groundwork, he established ASSAF in his home in February 2007. Through the provision of humanitarian and psychosocial services, ASSAF gradually became known as the central source of support for the emerging refugee community.

Activities and Projects
ASSAF - Aid Organization for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Israel was established in 2007 due to the steep increase in the number of refugees and asylum seekers arriving in Israel. Thousands of asylum seekers now live among us in Israel without regulated status, without work permits, and without access to health and welfare services. Others, including women and children, have been incarcerated for indefinite periods without release dates in detention centers in the desert, under the Law for the Prevention of Infiltration. The State of Israel, which is a signatory to the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (1951), is ignoring its obligations under the Convention, and Implementing a harsh policy against asylum seekers, depriving them of basic human rights and hope for the future. ASSAF provides psychosocial and humanitarian support for asylum seekers who have suffered devastating traumas in their home countries and now struggle to survive without formal status and rights. In addition, ASSAF is taking action to increase public awareness of the plight of asylum seekers and to promote their cause with government authorities. ASSAF’s activities were initially characterized by emergency ‘life’ support and psychosocial care for the rapidly growing number of crisis cases. Through a range of programs, ASSAF now provides both punctual and long-term support and runs programs which protect and strengthen the underprivileged and largely misunderstood African refugee community in Israel. ASSAF simultaneously works to improve the treatment and response towards African refugees, especially in light of Israel’s role as initiator and signatory of the 1951 United Nations’ Refugee Convention.

The Advocacy and Support Center
The Advocacy and Support Center is a unique project in Israel, providing information, guidance and emotional support for asylum seekers in various areas: legal status, employment, welfare, education, health, etc. The center’s personal approach offers asylum seekers a haven where they are met with sympathy and attention, receive assistance, or are directed to relevant authorities and organizations. With special attention for women’s needs, the Center also offers unique gender sensitive reception hours. Alongside meeting with staff and volunteers, the center also offers computer and Internet services, a library and information leaflets on relevant issues.

Psychosocial Support for Individuals and Families
The psychosocial project provides aid and support for asylum seekers, whether individuals or families, whose social plight is exacerbated by their lack of status or rights. ASSAF’s social work and professional therapy staff works together with the asylum seekers to formulate a support plan to help them cope with the realities of life in Israel. The support plans are adapted to specific situations, cultural backgrounds, rights and needs.

The Youth Club
For three evenings every week ASSAF’s offices are transformed into an active and lively youth club. It provides adolescent boys with a framework of normative leisure activities such as movie screenings, games, PC and Internet use, enrichment and study groups. The club’s volunteers advise the boys, organize educational activities, and offer guidance and emotional support. In addition to the ongoing activities at the club, ASSAF’s team works to reach out to boys, many of whom are unaccompanied minors who are detached from any formal institutions and receive no assistance from the Ministries of Education or Social Welfare. ASSAF also runs a group for girls in response to their particular needs.

Advocacy and Israeli Public Outreach
In addition to direct aid through its psychosocial projects, ASSAF is endeavoring to change official policies. ASSAF’s team takes part in discussions at Israel’s parliament, is in contact with various municipal and national authorities, writes and disseminates policy papers, and regularly works with the media. As part of its activities, ASSAF runs a program for raising awareness within the Israeli public, which includes lectures, tours and social media campaigns. ASSAF’s activities are made possible by the daily dedicated efforts of dozens of volunteers. The wide range of volunteer activities offers challenging and satisfying work and a multicultural encounter with a fascinating and unique community.

ASSAF in the media
To further the organisation's advocacy work for refugees and asylum seekers in Israel, ASSAF has actively appeared in popular media, however the organisation has made little headway in international news with most coverage of the organisation's work with this subgroup of people either appearing in Israeli media or through publication in reports such as those of Amnesty International, the European Union and UNICEF, the latter which included an ASSAF report entitled "“Infringement on the Rights of Asylum Seeking Children in Israel" on page 15 of its Alternative Report on the Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child by the Israeli Coalition of Children’s NGO’s.