“Nies Medema”

Nies Medema is educated as an artist. She became a writer and journalist. She wrote books on , Adoption, Iran, China, Mozambique and initiated and edited three books together with journalists and writers from the majority world. She has been making radioprogrammes on migration, and edited a book called 'Home' (Thuis) with Dutch and refugee writers. Medema is programme manager for On File, an organisation for refugee writers and journalists, and organises cultural websites www.exponto.nl and www.wereldjounalisten.nl with correspondents from some 20 countries (mainly residing in The Netherlands).

Young people 2

Rotterdam -  This young mother buys her groceries cheap in the mini-supermarket of the Sheikh family and the Bas van der Heijden across the street. Her pram is expensive, this is the…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Young people 1

Rotterdam -  It’s 1 pm. Three young people hanging around the afro-cosmetics-wig-international phonecall-shop. The boy with the leather jacket is complaining about something. It’s not clear what bothers him. Life in general…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Young entrepreneurs 2

Rotterdam -  Sanne Luijben graduated from art school in 2009. From the south she moved to Tarwewijk. Sanne likes Tarwewijk because of its international atmosphere. Houses are cheap too. She recently had…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Volunteer

Rotterdam -  ‘It makes me happy to help others,’ Ali Toptas says, ‘I remember when my mother and brothers and sisters and me moved here, coming from Turkey, joining may father…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Together 1

Rotterdam -  To my surprise, the Chinese poet Bei Dao (now living in Danmark, is quoted on a garbage truck. It says: ‘ The source dries out, the fire rages, the road…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Please be brave

Rotterdam -  At the hairdresser in Dordtselaan a poster is displayed. It says: ‘ I will act when I witness a violent situation in the street.'The poster was published by the…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

money transfer shop

Rotterdam -  This is one of many money transfer shops in Tarwewijk. Since many Tarwewijkers want to send money home to their family, this is the perfect neighborhood to start a business…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Harbour

Rotterdam -  Some grain ware houses have been renovated and are used as discotheques or apartment buildings now, this one in Maashaven is still functioning.…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Young entrepreneur

Rotterdam -  Young Mr. Bhoendie has been working here for eleven years now. His father and mother bought this little restaurant fifteen years ago. His mother cooks Surinamese, Hindu, Chinese, Carribean and…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

tradition 2

Rotterdam -  Two towers on a 200 square meter play ground. It’s 4 pm, there is not one child playing. In Dutch cities, there are many of these so called Playground Associations…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

scrap metal 1

Rotterdam -  The Tarwewijk Rotterdam. A man transports scrap metal with his ship from one harbor to another. His hands are poison and acid resistant, he says. …
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Pimp your car

Rotterdam -  Many people in Tarwewijk who used to work in the harbour and factories are jobless today. The new job market is in hairdo (African, Asian, Western), international telephone booths, small…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Micro -entrepreneurship

Rotterdam -  Minja Schotel is an artist and researcher. In Tarwewijk she does research on micro-entrepreneurship. She has found 21 men and women so far who have or would like to have…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Words and public space 2

Rotterdam -  This may be the weirdest sign I have ever seen in our Rotterdam ‘Attempts to regulate with written words-collection’ so far. It is put on a window of an empty…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

tradition 1

Rotterdam -  Traditional Dutch churches and believers are becoming extinct species. This is a spire of a former reformed church in Tarwewijk. It is now the home of a church called Victory…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

scrap metal

Rotterdam -  A man transports scrap metal with his ship from one harbour to another. He says his hands are resistant to poison and acid. His ships’ name is De Volharding (Perseverance)…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

okra from Kenia and Surinam

Rotterdam -  Due to floods in Pakistan, the okra in the grocery store of the Sheikh family is now imported from Kenia and Surinam.…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

local economy: Turkish garage fixing Bulgarian car

Rotterdam -  A Turkish Rotterdammer is repairing a car with a Bulgarian license plate. In Bulgaria, the Turkish minority is often discriminated against. Turks and Bulgarians often dislike each other, make jokes…
Nies Medema – Rotterdam Lab

Volunteer work 2

Rotterdam -  Ali Toptas tells me why there are no children in the play ground I saw the day before yesterday. There is a brand new play ground, also not far from…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Together 2

Rotterdam -  Two balconies in pensioners home ‘ Harmonie’ (Harmony). One with a Dutch flag, the other with a satellite dish, allowing her to watch TV shows from all over the world…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Safety at the butcher

Rotterdam -  In many shop windows in Dordtselaan, like this Islamic Surinam butcher, a poster on violence and safety is displayed. It suggests that we all should act when witnessing violence.According…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

OK

Rotterdam -  Whatare we to make of a circular illuminated sign with the text: ‘OK, safe point,report violence’? Is this a safe point because the sign is here or is this…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

here and elsewhere: ice cream parlour

Rotterdam -  Three Rotterdam men (who’s parents or grandparents were born in Marocco) discuss personal matters in an Italian ice cream parlour. Behind them a wall poster with a streetview from Italy…
Nies Medema – Rotterdam Lab