“Not all of us brought the best aspects of Islam with us from Morocco,” says Mustafa. He came from Morocco at the age of 19 and is now a true key figure in the Hillesluis neighborhood.
He started out as a volunteer at various organizations, such as the Atlas Foundation. “But then I thought: I can do that too. I know enough people who support me.” So he founded Buurtouders 010. Through this initiative, he ensures that men from the neighborhood can come together to play sports and that the neighborhood remains safe. “I started with six men, but now there are many more. We’re currently organizing a celebration for Eid al-Fitr—about 100 people are coming.” His foundation has its own living room, complete with a large Moroccan sofa, in the Hillevliet, where he and “his” men meet about four times a week. “We also help other organizations in the building. There are about 30 organizations here, and they help us too.” And Mustafa has now outgrown his foundation. “I help with everything: paperwork, calling the doctor… anyone who needs help comes to me. I’m proud of that. Sometimes I also say: just come to my house.”
The desire to help others has been in him since childhood. “When I lived in Morocco, I was active there too. I played a lot of sports and helped everyone.” He grew up in Nador, a city where many Dutch Moroccans come from or have family. His father first moved to Rotterdam to work in the animal feed industry in the Zuid district. His first home was a boarding house in Rotterdam–West, but when his wife, daughter, and two sons joined him, the family moved to Bloemhof.
To the best neighborhood in Rotterdam
At the time the rest of the family moved to Bloemhof, Mustafa was still in school, so he stayed in Morocco. He lived with his sister, who was married and also still living in Morocco. “But when I was nineteen, I visited my parents and brother in Rotterdam. And I really liked it there. Then my father asked me, ‘Are you going back?’ I said no.” So he stayed in Bloemhof. “It’s a rough neighborhood now, but back then it really was the best neighborhood in Rotterdam,” Mustafa says. “Everyone wanted to live there back then. Back then, only Dutch people lived there. They were really nice people; that’s why I think the neighborhood was so great. I built a good relationship with them. I always helped everyone when they needed it.” He didn’t speak Dutch yet, so he started his conversations with a little French. He learned Dutch at night school while doing cleaning work during the day. “It was a wonderful time.”
Not a bad upbringing, but something for young people to do
He became a volunteer and started at the Ravennest community center. When they had to leave, he found a new place in Hillevliet in 2019 to do well for the community. “That was officially Hillesluis. That’s how I became active here in the neighborhood.”
Unfortunately, he’s not so fond of the neighborhood anymore. “Mostly Turkish and Moroccan people live here. And not all of them have brought the good aspects from Morocco with them. For example, respect for the elderly. And a lot of young people don’t do that. That means their upbringing isn’t going well, and things aren’t going well for the young people. I’d like to see them have more things to do here in the neighborhood. There are some things, but there need to be more events and activities for them outdoors. Then they won’t hang out on the streets and cause fewer problems. But people do need to guide them. I told that to the mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb, too. He’s from Nador as well.”
He himself raised his children with the values that he brought with him from Morocco. “That’s why things went well for my family; my children don’t cause any trouble. I don’t hit them either. If they do something wrong, they’re not allowed to do what they enjoy, like playing music or soccer. That’s how all my children grew up well.”
In addition to the values he brought with him from his homeland, he also eats Moroccan food every day. “Couscous and stuff,” says Mustafa. “Actually, I’m still the same person I was when I lived in Morocco,” he laughs.
Feyenoord
Still, the difference between his hometown and Rotterdam is huge. “They both have a port, but that’s about it. Here you have good public transportation and green spaces. People have jobs here, and if you don’t have a job, you get benefits. And those bridges here… so beautiful! And all those cultures… Really, everything is great about Rotterdam.” He knows right away what makes him a true Rotterdammer. “I’m a die-hard Feyenoord fan,” Mustafa says proudly. “I watch all the matches too: soccer, but also boxing matches when Badr Hari or Rico Verhoeven are fighting. Then we all get together here in our living room in Hillevliet. We could go to the matches, but I prefer watching them on screen. That way, we can sometimes rewind and watch parts again.”
Photo credits: Lyn van der Wel, a talented photographer connected to community center De Hillevliet.