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A retired doctor from Badalona opens her home to two young people evicted from B9
A retired doctor from Badalona takes in two young Senegalese men after the eviction from B9. She offers them shelter and care for three nights. Solidarity and empathy shape this story. Discover how selfless help can change lives.
Àngela Valeiras, a retired doctor from Badalona, has given shelter for three nights to Serigne Babacar and Abdou Ngom, two Senegalese men aged 24 and 30 who were evicted from the B9 settlement. Both had been at the site for only a few weeks and did not know each other before Àngela’s intervention, when she decided to take them into her home after the eviction.
The young men’s arrival at Àngela’s home transformed her usual routine. She lives alone with two dogs in a small ground-floor flat in the centre of Badalona, but for three days she shared her space with the newcomers, who thanked her for the hospitality by helping with household chores and cooking typical Senegalese dishes.
The doctor, who had already taken in people in vulnerable situations after the closure of the Can Bofí Vell shelter two years ago, once again showed her commitment to those most in need. Her link with Senegal goes back a long way, as in her youth she took part in a humanitarian project in the African country.
Àngela was highly critical of the municipal government’s handling of the eviction, considering that the measure did not resolve the underlying problem affecting the 400 migrants who lived in the former school. After the eviction, she went to the square where those affected spent the night, and it was there that the Senegalese community asked her for help for Serigne, who did not know how to manage in the city.
Abdou also sought Àngela’s help to treat a wound on his hand that had become infected. Both spent their first night at her home on an improvised basis and remained there until Saturday, when they were able to move to a centre set up by social organisations and the Generalitat for vulnerable people from B9.
The experience has left its mark on both Àngela and the young men, who have expressed their gratitude and wish to continue helping her in the future. The story reflects how individual solidarity can make a difference in situations of social emergency.