WHO ARE ROOTS?
Roots is a grassroots association working in Grande-Synthe, near Dunkirk. We provide practical daily services that help people meet essential needs with dignity: access to water, hygiene services, charging, Wi-Fi, cleaner living areas, and community support.
Why support ROOTS?
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Practical, daily services in a place where essential needs can quickly go unmet
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Volunteer-led work that stretches donations further
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A focus on dignity, sustainability and transparency
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Strong partner relationships and on-the-ground knowledge
OUR CORE PROJECTS
W-A-S-H
project
WATER · SANITATION · HYGIENE
Clean water, showers and hygiene supplies are not optional. They are fundamental to health, dignity and survival for people forced to live outside in extremely difficult conditions.
Our WASH project began when the living site in Dunkirk had no state-provided water point between the end of 2021 and spring 2024. In response, we supplied between 6,000 and 15,000 litres of water to the camps every day, alongside hot showers and essential toiletries. Since spring 2024, two state water points have been installed, so we have reduced our own IBC water supply. We still maintain these areas, clean them twice a day, provide hygiene items, and continue to offer cold showers daily and hot showers four days a week, weather permitting.
Waste management & environmental care
RECYCLING · INFORMATION · CARE
Safe, clean living areas are essential for health, dignity and basic wellbeing, and proper waste management helps protect both displaced people and the surrounding environment.
We provide bins within the camp, empty them through our waste management programme, and carry out regular litter picks to help reduce health risks and improve daily living conditions. This work also helps limit environmental damage and ease tensions with the local community. When larger volunteer groups join us, we are able to carry out more extensive clean-ups, improve access around water points, and clear waste from harder-to-reach areas.
DIGITAL inclusion &
ACCESS
A COMMUNICATIONS HUB
Phone charging and Wi-Fi are essential lifelines, giving people access to communication, information, support services and contact with the people who matter most.
We provide 192 charging spaces across four tables, five days a week, giving people on the ground reliable access to phone charging and Wi-Fi. This is vital for staying in touch with family and friends, accessing urgent information, and reaching support or emergency services when needed. Our charging spaces also create a warmer, more human environment, with heated gazebos in winter, games for wellbeing, and a TV on site to offer some much-needed respite.
Food inclusion and nutrition
PARTNERING TO SERVE DAILY MEALS
Access to regular, nutritious food is one of the most immediate and important needs on the ground, and meal distributions provide vital daily support, stability and care.
Since autumn 2023, we have supported the distribution of hot nutritious meals in partnership with Refugee Community Kitchen in Calais and Bethlehem, an association based near Lille. Together, these distributions can reach between 600 and 900 portions in a day, helping respond to very real food insecurity among displaced people in the area. By working alongside partner organisations, we help make sure meals reach people who need them most.
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