Finding the right shelter service
We help connect people with shelter facilities, social services and local duty services that can provide immediate accommodation or longer-term housing solutions.
Our services
Concrete help at every stage
Massamba's Help ASBL provides a first line of information and orientation. When a lawyer, CPAS, mediation service or other specialist is needed, we direct you to the right contact.
🏠 Service 1
Housing and shelter
Housing is one of the most fundamental needs, yet it remains inaccessible for many people in Belgium. Massamba's Help ASBL intervenes to help homeless people or those facing eviction understand their rights and find a solution suited to their situation.
We help people understand housing-related correspondence: eviction notices, rehousing requests, shelter refusal or correspondence with a social landlord. We clarify deadlines, available appeal options and the steps to follow.
When a shelter application is needed, we help prepare the file by identifying the required supporting documents and explaining the procedure. We also refer people to emergency reception centres, temporary shelter facilities and local housing mediation services.
In case of eviction, we help understand the notification received, the legal deadlines and the steps to take. We refer people to first-line legal aid or, if necessary, to a lawyer specialising in housing law.
🤝 Service 3
Legal orientation
When a situation requires specialised legal advice, Massamba's Help ASBL directs people to the right contacts.
Massamba's Help ASBL offers a first level of legal orientation. We help clarify the situation, identify priority questions and understand the available options.
Our role is to prepare people for their meeting with a legal professional. We help them formulate their questions, organise their documents and understand essential legal terms.
When first-line legal aid (free legal consultation bureau, CLAI) or second-line aid (court-appointed lawyer, legal aid of the second line) is necessary, we refer people to the appropriate service based on their situation and means.
Massamba's Help is not a law firm. The association does not promise legal representation in court and does not guarantee any outcome. Cases requiring personalised legal advice are systematically referred to a qualified professional.
We work in a network with lawyers, legal aid services and specialised duty services to facilitate access to justice for the most vulnerable people.
🧭 Service 4
Access to services
Connecting people with social services, associations, healthcare facilities and specialised duty services.
🏥
Healthcare services
We refer people to healthcare facilities accessible to homeless people: medical centres, mental health services, free consultations and care centres. We help understand rights regarding healthcare and access to a general practitioner.
🏛
Social services
Orientation towards municipal social services, CPAS centres, public social welfare centres and social duty services. We help identify the right contact and prepare for the first meeting.
💬
Mediation and support
Connecting people with mediation services, support associations and specialised support structures. We facilitate access to services for situations requiring specific follow-up.
✉️ Service 5
Letters and forms
Official correspondence is often a source of stress and incomprehension. Massamba's Help ASBL helps decode received letters, identify urgent actions and organise documents.
We offer simple, practical help to understand a CPAS letter, an eviction notice, an administrative decision or a summons. We explain legal terms, deadlines to respect and potential appeal options.
When forms need to be completed, we guide people through understanding the fields to fill in and the documents to attach. We do not fill in forms on behalf of the person — we help them understand and complete them independently.
Our approach:
We believe in empowerment. Our role is not to do things for beneficiaries, but to give them the tools to understand and act independently. Every support session aims to strengthen the person's ability to manage their own procedures.
🌍 Service 6
Non-judgemental support
Respectful listening regardless of origin, language, family situation or how long someone has been homeless.
Massamba's Help ASBL welcomes anyone in difficulty, with no preconditions. Our service is open to everyone, regardless of nationality, administrative status, language spoken or length of homelessness.
We receive people in a safe, caring space. Every story is heard with respect, and every request receives the same attention — whether it concerns a letter to understand or a complex legal situation.
Our team speaks multiple languages and works with translators and interpreters when necessary. The goal is to remove linguistic barriers that often prevent people from accessing their rights.
Guaranteed confidentiality: Information shared during a consultation is treated with the utmost discretion. It is used only within the framework of support and is not disclosed to third parties without the person's explicit consent, except where required by law.
Free access: Our service is entirely free. We ask for no financial contribution for our consultations and orientation. We believe access to legal information should never be conditional on financial means.
Need one of our consultations?
Contact us for a first orientation. We respond as quickly as possible.
Understanding and organising your documents
We help identify priority letters, deadlines and useful documents before referring you to the right service.
Social rights and documents
Administrative procedures related to social rights can be complex and discouraging. Massamba's Help ASBL helps people understand CPAS letters, benefit decisions, reference address requests and other essential administrative documents.
We explain rights and obligations based on each person's situation: social aid applications, benefit interruptions, appeals against administrative decisions, benefit claims. We identify important deadlines and the documents to gather.
When the CPAS or another social body is the right contact, we help prepare the application and refer people to the appropriate duty service. We can also help understand letters from the ONEM (national employment office), the public employment service or other institutions.