The refugee crisis is concerning the whole world. Do you want to help the ones who had fleed their homes from war and persecution?
In Thessaloniki, Northern Greece there are numerous camps with bad conditions. Organisations are looking volunteers all the time to make the living in the camps more bearable.
You can’t just walk straight to the refugee camp, because the camps are secured by the Greek army and police. The best way to enter the camp and volunteer is to contact volunteering oraganisations.
The Red Cross, Save the Children and UNHCR are known for their work around the world. Here are three smaller organisations that you may not have heard from.
Dråpen I havet / A Drop in the Ocean
Established by a Norwegian Trude Jacobsen in September 2015 the organisation was at first only a Facebook group for Jacobsen’s friends and family to follow her in Greece. Within only a year the group transformed into a big volunteer organisation. Now Dråpen I havet has coordinated over 2200 volunteers to Greece in Chios, Athens and Northern Greece. The organisation is focused helping children and women.
Dråpen I havet works in two camps Nea Kavala and Chreso, both about an hour from the city of Thessaloniki. Oraganisation’s responsibility is to distribute clothes and other necessities for the refugees.
Contact:
For volunteering, questions and donations:
https://www.drapenihavet.no/en/contact/
InterVolve – International Volunteers
InterVolve is a small, independent organisation working mainly in Softex camp, only 20 minute bus drive from Thessaloniki Railway Station. Like the name tells you – InterVolve has volunteers all over the world.
The organisation has it’s own warehouse near the camp. In the camp they have a container and a clothing boutique for refugees. Volunteers also do tent to tent distribution with shoes and vegetables. Weekly activities, like English studies, capoeira and photographing are also arranged by the volunteers.
Contact:
Want to be a volunteer? Register here: https://goo.gl/forms/97zBAwmyEWJsp6WH3
For donations send an e-mail to [email protected]
Team Humanity
The organisation works currently in Oreokastro and it was founded in September 2015. Majority of the workers are Danish volunteers, but there’s also volunteers from all over the world.
Team Humanity started at Lesvos and moved to Idomeni camp in Northern Greece. When Idomeni was closed in May 2016 by the Greek government many refugees were moved to Oreokastro, where an old tobacco factory was transformed into a refugee camp. There are nearly 1400 refugees, mainly from Syria, in the camp now.
Contact:
Send an e-mail to [email protected].
Or prefer calling? The phone number is: +45 22940394.
Check the page www.greecevol.info for more opportunities to help the refugees!
Refugee camp 20-minute bus ride away – three not so famous organisations to give your support