Dutch donating more to asylum seekers

Dutch people are donating more and more to aid for asylum seekers. Last year 7.5 million euros were raised, compared to 3.5 million the year before. Donations average around 111 euros per donations, compared to 70 euros a year before. The number of people donating to asylum seeker and refugee organizations is also increasing, Trouw reported on Thursday.

Vluchtelingenwerk saw a 30 percent increase in donors last year compared to 2014. In total 65 thousand people donated to the organization, which contributes to the care and shelter for asylum seekers in the Netherlands. "Dutch want to do something for the asylum seekers, we notice that", director Dorine Manson said to the newspaper.

Stichting Vluchteling, which provides assistance to asylum seekers in their own region, saw the number of their donors increase by 30 thousand last year to a total of 141 thousand. The number of donors continued to grow during the first half of this year, director Tineke Ceelen said to Trouw.

Doctors Without Borders, the largest organization to give medical aid to people in need, including asylum seekers, saw the number of regular donors grow to 312 thousand last year, compared to 309 thousand the year before.

On Thursday the International Organization for Migration announced that worldwide a total of 3,694 asylum seekers were recorded missing or dead during the first half of this year. That is an increase of 18 percent compared to the same period in 2015, ANP reports.

The most dangerous route for asylum seekers in the world is the trip across the Mediterranean to Europe. On this route alone 2,905 people died or went missing so far this year. A large majority of these asylum seekers died on their way to Italy.