Sander Francken

Oranje - This Great a Small Village Can Be

In the village of Oranje in Drenthe, which has 150 inhabitants, a reception center for initially 1,400 refugees was established in 2014 by The Hague without consultation. Due to the extensive media attention, the village became a symbol of the fear of asylum seekers. Despite anger over the procedure, Oranje was also willing to help the refugees. Especially the local shop owned by Jan and his family quickly became a welcoming place. When the reception center closed three years later, it left a bigger void than expected. This provides a nuanced view behind the news stories, offering insights into how people react to unexpected situations.