Humans of TU Delft: Milou Eijsbroek

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“I’m studying Industrial Design Engineering and I’m now in the third year of my bachelor. Before I came to TU Delft, I analysed every study that could be interesting but I really liked the design part, that you learn skills and not only knowledge.

I am also on the committee of Alcuin Amal, which is an initiative of the Virgiel student association. The word Alcuin relates to our association and Amal means hope in Arabic. This is the fourth year that this committee exists. There are six of us working together; we are all members of Virgiel and we all wanted to do something to help refugees in Greece. Through the association we have done different activities to raise money like selling sandwiches and spanakopita, a Greek pastry, to the members of Virgiel. All the profit goes to the refugees. We decided to do something bigger, to make this cause more visible. One person in our group had heard of this idea of doing a 24-hour radio broadcast to help raise money and we thought it would be really cool to do something like that.

We started brainstorming together. Our association has a lustrum this year so there are already a lot of big things being organised. So, we thought maybe we could collaborate with the lustrum team to make something bigger so that everyone in Delft could come and be a part of it. The main idea is to raise money for refugees. For 24 hours, we will have people on the radio, including speakers, and we will have music and artists.

One way we will raise money is that people can pay to request a song to be played. We will also have food stands and other things to sell that will help raise money. The event will be held at Sint Agathaplein near the Museum Prinsenhof so everyone in Delft is welcome. It starts at 12:00 on 24 April and goes until 12:00 on 25 April. We hope that people will stop by to listen to music, hear the people speaking and maybe buy some lunch or a drink for charity. It will be a fun event, but it is definitely an event with a purpose.

‘They teach music but also use music as a form of therapy’

In previous years, the Alcuin Amal groups raised money and then went to Greece to build things using their technical skills. For example, at a school they built swings and they built a space where people could go if they felt sad or just needed a quiet moment.

This year we have a new charity that we will support that is called Connect by Music. They teach music but also use music as a form of therapy. They explain that normally your brain regulates and stops anxiety and stress triggers. When you have a post traumatic situation like the refugees are in, that connection is broken, but through music it can be stimulated and restored. They use music to try and bring about positive changes including social and emotional skills and improving behaviour which is really important for young people.

They are at an age when they are learning about social things, so this programme also allows them to make social connections with other people. The money that we raise will go to this organisation so they can help more children and teenagers to feel better.

Personally, I really wanted to be on a committee, but not just for fun. I wanted to do something with a purpose. I felt this was a way I could help people that really need it. We hope that a lot of people come out to support us. People can come to drink a beer, enjoy music, have some fun and do it for a good cause.”

• The event will be held at Sint Agathaplein near the Museum Prinsenhof. It starts at 12:00 on 24 April and goes until 12:00 on 25 April.

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Heather Montague / Freelance writer