“Mamie Charge”: Migrants find safe haven in a French woman’s garage

Brigitte Lips opens her home in northern France every weekday to dozens of migrants seeking a moment of peace – and a phone charger – despite some opposition from the local community.

On a drizzly November day, dozens of young people sit in the 68-year-old’s garage in the port city of Calais, where around a hundred chargers line the walls and hot drinks are offered.

“Mamie Charge” (Granny Charger) has spread throughout the migrant community – seen as someone who offers a moment of peace and a place to charge cell phones, essential on the often dangerous journey north.

“She is a great woman, a real support for refugees like us who are homeless,” said Pedros, a migrant from the East African county of Eritrea who hopes to settle in France.

Despite opposition from some in the local community, the grandmother of eight said her decision to open her home was rooted in her deep-rooted Catholic faith.

“That’s how I was raised. If someone in need rang our doorbell, they had a seat at the table,” Lips told AFP.

– “Telephone is essential”

At 11:30 a.m. sharp, the door opens and the crowd milling outside Lips’ garage rushes in to find a charger, phones already in hand.

“The clock is ticking! Otherwise we’ll never get out of here,” she says as the room fills with people, mostly from Eritrea and neighboring Sudan.

True to their nickname, there are around a hundred charging cables, and newbies are jostling for space.

“One thing at a time, I only have two hands,” says the 68-year-old, pocketing the phones for her guests as they enjoy the tea, coffee, bread and tomato soup she has prepared.

Having a place to recharge is a matter of survival for migrants, said fellow Eritrean Mazen, who hopes to reach England by boat.

“Our phone is very, very important,” he told AFP, explaining that he uses it “to check the time, find our way, organize our departure and maybe call for help if necessary.”

The number of undocumented migrants arriving in the UK this year after crossing the English Channel on dangerous, rudimentary vessels is over 33,500, up around 18 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

So far in 2024, at least 72 people have died trying to make the journey. This makes the trip the deadliest since migrant crossings began in 2018.

– ‘Last link’-

A full battery also means convenience and a way to stay in touch with loved ones, said Lips, who has worked with the migrant community for 20 years.

“If they lose their phones, they lose their lives,” she told AFP. “It is also her last connection to her family.”

While other Calais residents share their commitment to supporting migrants, some neighbors and local authorities have tried to dissuade them from welcoming them into their home.

“They are trying to intimidate me. They tell me: ‘You have to stop,'” she told AFP, rolling her eyes.

But “there’s no point,” the devout Catholic told AFP. “It is the Holy Spirit that drives me.”

Around midday, her guests wash their bowls and head back out into the cold with a full battery.

“See you soon, Grandma,” they call to Lips as they leave.

The Calais native, who has never left the area, needs time to prepare – the workshop is due to reopen later this evening.

“I will continue as long as the good Lord keeps me healthy,” she told AFP.

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