Help a Kiwi care for Syrian refugees in Leros, Greece
Funds desperately needed so Kiwi Anne Tee & other volunteers, can feed and care for thousands of Syrian refugees on Leros island, in Greece.
Canterbury
'Leros: Little Island, Big Hearts'... The tiny island is trying to help, but is struggling to cope with huge numbers of Syrian refugees/migrants arriving every day, via Turkey.
The volunteers, including New Zealander Anne Tee, need help to buy basic resources for refugees: e.g. food, water, baby formula, sanitary supplies. Plus colder weather is on the way - with refugees having to sleep outside on the ground, the volunteers also need to buy blankets... it's a race against time.
The refugees are usually transferred to Leros from another island closer to the Turkish Coast - arriving hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and often, traumatised.
Most only have the clothes they are in, as the Traffickers often throw the refugees' bags into the sea, to fit more people in the boats.
To quote Anne at the time of creating this Givealittle page: "There is NO money coming through to authorities here to help them. We are relying entirely on donations from friends and others abroad... The situation is desperate."
Please help. You won't just be helping a Kiwi, you'll be helping men, women, babies and children who deserve at the very least, food, water, and... compassion. Can you give a little?
Nicola Hugo's involvement (page creator)
My sister Anne lives in Leros - I want to help her, and the other amazing volunteers there. There are just a few regular volunteers, doing all they can with the meagre resources they have, but they're now feeling overwhelmed - hundreds of refugees arrive every day, en route to the Greek mainland.
I don't want to just sit and watch the media coverage, I want to actually DO something. If you share that feeling, join us, and 'give a little'.
Thank you... Nicky.
Latest update
So many sad goodbyes... 26 March 2016
With borders closed, seeing refugees leave Leros is not a time filled with hope. Some aid organisations in Greece are distancing themselves from the detention centres, so places like the PIPKA centre in Leros are even more valuable; havens in the midst of all the turmoil.
Here is a recent message from Anne:
'Goodbyes are always difficult, but tonight saying goodbye to some little families off on the ship to Athens was harder than usual. Their courage and dignity in the face of such hardship is amazing. We said farewell to a little boy who has lost his entire family except for one brother... and a young pregnant woman with her husband and baby.
From war-torn Syria they put their children in a boat, risking everything to reach the safety of Europe...and now they will join 50,000 others stranded inside Greece because the borders have closed. Most have little money left and nowhere to go... it's unbelievable that Europe has not grasped the true extent of the human tragedy unfolding here on a day to day basis.
As for me, I think about that little boy with the sad eyes , and the gentle young mother and baby, and can do nothing except pray to whatever gods there are, that they will be safe.'
Latest donations
Hello, thank you very much for helping Anne and the other volunteers in Leros. I will post an Update to everyone soon. With less media attention these days, and so many worthy causes on Givealittle, we appreciate your generous donation.
Thank you, will pass that message on to Anne. It certainly isn't getting easier in some ways, with borders closed, and Greece being in dire straights well before the influx of refugees. Really appreciate your support.
Hello and thank you, and for your lovely message. It's beyond comprehension what it must be like for these people, especially those who have lost loved ones along the way. Any light is better than none... thanks for helping to keep it alight!
Hi Katherine... thank you so much for your donation... it seems like there is no end in sight with this crisis, so we appreciate that you have reached out to help.
Hello, thank you so much. I can't make your name public I know, but thank you my friend, for your on-going support. xxx
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