Although the refugee crisis in Greece isn’t dominating headlines anymore, it’s an ongoing serious problem. People are still fleeing from war-torn Syria and making their way to the Greek island of Lesbos where camps are overcrowded, conditions are poor and refugees don’t feel welcomed.
By: Heather Newgen | Twitter: @hnvoluntourist
“Children are being raped and assaulted. It is a mess. I sometimes I forget that I am in Europe,” one refugee revealed to me during an exclusive interview about the Moira Camp in Greece. Other reports of police beatings, knife attacks, fighting, people living among raw sewage and garbage are common. Asylum seekers are driven to suicide attempts and mental health issues due to the trauma they’re subject to and many feel like they’re in prison.
Refugees waiting in long lines inside the Moira Camp Photo Courtesy of Ahmad, a refugee living in Moira Camp
According to the New York Times, the number of migrants entering Europe has fallen 90 percent, from 2015. However, because the European Union has responded to the crisis by closing several international borders, many refugees are stranded where they first made landfall and that's Greece. So they wait two years in the camps before they are sent back or sent somewhere else.
RELATED: Moira Camp-A Look at What Life is Like for Syrian Refugees
While there are aid workers on the ground, much more help is needed. Volunteers with various skills sets and professional backgrounds are welcome. Below is a list of a few organizations you can volunteer with. At the time of this post the information is current. Over time the need for volunteers may change so please research the organizations in advance. At the end of the piece is a link with many more refugee volunteering projects.
ShowerPower--offers women and children a clean place to bathe (female volunteers only please)
Refugee 4 Refugees--Must be at least 23-years-old, have a driver's license, know how to drive a stick shift car, and work long hours. https://refugee4refugees.org/volunteer/
Med'Equil Team--Doctors needed on the Greek island of Samos where refugees from the Vathy Camp are treated.
WaterShed--For those with construction, plumbing or engineer skills, WaterShed needs volunteers to help maintain buildings near the Moira Camp on Lesbos. The work will help improve the sanitation and living conditions for people living in Moira.
Action for Education--Needs experienced teachers for a six week minimum in Chios. To volunteer in Athens with this organization, there is a two month minimum requirement. They offer free shared accommodations for volunteers.
Mobile Info Team--The organization provides refugees with accurate information about their options and asylum procedures. They're in need of a coordinator who has experience with fundraising, accounting, human resources and administration. Food and housing is covered by the organization. Three month minimum.
For more refugee volunteering opportunities in Greece click here.