– Children talk a lot about holidays, so it is important. But we don’t have a good enough income and opportunity to pay for it, says Semira Andemariam. Andemariam is a mother of four and an apprentice at a nursing home in Bodø. The income from the apprentice job is not high enough for her to afford to take the family on holiday. And she is not alone. Around 100,000 children grow up in a family with persistently low incomes, figures from Statistics Norway show. This amounts to around one in ten children in Norway. In addition, increased expenses for electricity, more expensive food and higher interest rates have made it more difficult for some to make ends meet. This spring, Redd Barna presented a survey which shows that 45 per cent of families with children have had to cut back on their food purchases due to increased expenses. Then the summer holiday can be one of the things that is prioritized. But there are several options for getting on holiday, even for those who can’t afford it. Many more applications The Red Cross offers free summer holidays to these families, and the applications are pouring in. – There are around 30 per cent more applications for this summer than we had last year. And we still expect that there will be more applications now until the summer holidays, says Christel Meyer at the Nordland Red Cross office. Christel Meyer in Nordland Red Cross is now going through all the applications they have received. As of now, they have approx. 400 applicants divided into 100 families. They have room for 430 participants. Photo: Barbro Andersen / news Meyer believes there will still be many latecomers. It is the support system that will submit the applications on behalf of the family, and they have a lot to do before the summer. – We often see a large increase after the application deadline has passed, when the panic before the summer starts to set in a little, says Meyer. Here you can get support for the holiday. In addition to the Red Cross’s offer “Holiday for all” and Bamse B, there are several organizations and foundations that can provide support for good holiday experiences. Blå Kors has an offer for families who have drug addiction, psychological challenges, or low income close to their lives. Summer holiday for all is also an offer for families with children who cannot afford it. The Kavlifondet can provide support for good holiday experiences. In any case, UNICEF has previously had an offer where it is possible for everyone to help others with positive experiences during the holidays. The offer is down in 2023. Four days without buying food Last year there were more than 6,000 participants in the summer holiday offers for the Red Cross across the country. – We see again that those who have the least to deal with are also the ones who are hit hardest by the price increase in society. Some people also go into debt to get by financially, says Meyer. According to Meyer, just getting free food for a few days can be important for many. – For some, four days when you don’t have to buy food is a little less worrying about the economy, she says. – For the children, perhaps the most important thing is to get time with their parents, she adds. More about the “Holiday for all” offer To be eligible for a free holiday with the Red Cross, you must have lived on a persistently low income or had financial challenges for at least three years. One child must already be in from the age of 6-13. The Red Cross also sees that they are receiving more applications from relatively recently arrived refugees. These are basically not in the target group due to the language barrier. There are volunteers in the Red Cross who use their free time to help organize “Holiday for all”. Most of the cost is covered by the state through its grant. (source: Red Cross) To apply for the Red Cross “Holiday for all”, the family must have at least one child between the ages of six and 13. Photo: Red Cross Not enough offers for everyone Ingvild Alesøy-Gjerløw, unit manager for humanitarian programs in the Red Cross nationally, notices a large influx of applicants for the summer holiday offers across the country. – Do you have to say no to someone? – Yes, unfortunately we do not have enough offers for everyone, says Alesøy-Gjerløw. She believes that many people this summer will have to prioritize things that are not absolutely necessary. – We see that there are many of those who managed just fine in the past, and could go on holiday then, cannot afford it now. From “Holiday for all” in Øksnes in Vesterålen, organized by the Sortland Red Cross. Photo: Sortland Red Cross – Like a big family on a trip The voluntary organization Bamse B in Bodø also has zealots who ensure that families with poor means have good holiday experiences. This is the tenth year that Bamse B organizes a free holiday, and this year seven families can join Saltstraumen in Bodø. Nor does Bamse B have the opportunity to give space to everyone who wants it, says manager Merethe Lindqvist. – Now it’s not just those who have disability benefits or who don’t work. Also those where both work and cannot afford a holiday. Because food has become more expensive, rent has gone up. Among those who are lucky enough to get a place, the feedback is positive. – We’ve had children who cry when it’s over because they don’t want to leave, who just want to go back into the cabin and sit down. And there are families who ask when they can apply again until next year when they are going to leave. Semira Andemariam and her family are among those who have been given a place on Bamse B’s summer holiday offer. – We are very much looking forward to it, she says with a smile on her face. – The children have already started packing, and finding what to take with them. HAPPY: Mother of four Semira Andemariam had her application for a free summer holiday approved by Bamse B. Photo: Malin Nygård Solberg / news
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More families than before want a free summer holiday. You can get support here – news Nordland
