By John Purvis

On a recent Saturday morning, more than 50 young African men —  from Guinea, Senegal, Mali and Sudan — gathered in the basement of an East Village church to enjoy a free meal and socialize as they build their new lives in New York City.

In response to a surge of arrivals in 2023, two East Village community groups, EVLovesNY and East Village Neighbors Who Care, began distributing meals and clothing to migrants congregating in Tompkins Square Park. Seeking a more intimate and impactful way to help, they launched Cafewal, meaning “cafeteria” in Fulani, a widely spoken language in Africa.

Cafewal offers asylum seekers from West Africa and Sudan a welcoming place to take English lessons,  speak Fulani and French and pray alongside fellow Muslims. Most importantly, it’s a safe space to share a free meal as they find their footing in a new city.

“As we continue to build capacity, we get to be a little more involved in helping build the day-to-day lives of these men,” said Tyler Hefferon, executive director of EVLovesNYC, a nonprofit organization working to address food insecurity in New York City. East Village Neighbors Who Care is a neighborhood mutual aid group.

Hefferon meets daily with volunteers to coordinate operations and new ways to help incoming migrants. There is even a troubleshooting book dedicated to informing migrants on how to make a doctor’s appointment, find English classes, update addresses with immigration officials, apply for jobs through employment websites and much more.  

As more migrants arrived, Hefferon said they expanded their capacity to cater to the demand, thus creating Cafewal.

“Before Cafewal opened up, me and my team were only able to feed these young men once a week, but since its opening in 2024, we can now provide a free meal to those who need it every day,” he said.

Hefferon said these resources are a guide to help migrants navigate their new lives.

English teachers are partnered with Fulani interpreters who teach up to 10 students every session. 

At the back of the classroom is a combined sleeping and prayer area that accommodates around seven people. Many of the young men work long hours for low pay as food delivery drivers or restaurant workers. With the current administration cracking down on asylum seekers, many of the men may not have a safe place to sleep or pray after a long day of work.

Ann Shields, of the Cafewal press team and a volunteer, highlights the resilience of the new arrivals.

“Despite what they have been through, their attitudes are remarkably positive and determined. It is truly inspirational. They do not look like what they have been through,” Shields said. 

Many migrants are escaping dictatorships, poverty, starvation and wars. Some Sudanese migrants who visit Cafewal are escaping a civil war that began in 2023 in Sudan, where Khartoum’s population has reportedly decreased from about eight million to two million. 

Millions have fled to neighboring countries due to starvation, the killing of innocent civilians and the destruction of entire neighborhoods. Others have fled to the U.S. in the hope of creating a better life for themselves and their families.

The food services provided by Cafewal may be its most valuable offering to the new migrants.

“We work with a bunch of local food businesses around the area that donate food like bread and coffee directly to Cafewal,” Shields said, noting that Cafewal also trains migrants in food preparation and potential jobs in the food-services industry. 

“Today they cooked a Caesar salad and fouti for the daily menu,” she added, referring to a traditional dish from Guinea and Gambia that typically includes rice, okra and peppers 

Migrants can be booked with catering jobs at different events around the city in partnership with nonprofit organizations and colleges, giving them the opportunities and skills needed to land jobs in the restaurant industry.

“I’ve seen a family here have to switch to new homeless shelters every six weeks just to have a place to stay, and now they have their own apartment, have a kid on the way and the kids are thriving in school,” Shields said. “These are the success stories I hope can be true for everyone here at Cafewal.”