Quick message:

Two ways of donating (english) :

- Financially (to use exclusively and directly to distribute food and other necessities)

- Donation of medication unwanted but with at least three months expiry date.
 Collection in Dublin 25-29th March before my trip to Greece (text me please)

- Any other country wishing to post medication directly to the pharmacy please let me know and I will forward you the address

Duas formas de fazer donativos (português):

- De forma monetária (será exclusivamente para alimentacao, bens essenciais sem intermediários 

- Doação de medicamentos que já não utilize mas ainda têm pelo menos 3 meses de validade. Recolha em Vila Real dias 21 a 23 de Março antes da minha viagem à Grécia. Enviem-me mensagem por favor por aqui ou pelo facebook.



Background:

Hello to all!!!

For those that do not know yet, the last 3 years of my life have been kind of "a turmoil"; I have decided to experience more and live with less. I have decided to do more of what I like and I have pushed back from "modern day society´s" way of thinking; I left my job as a pharmacy manager and decided to be a substitute pharmacist: a job that I (still!) take great pleasure in as I get to meet and interact with patients of all backgrounds and needs, without the madness of pressure and targets. Yes, I earn way less but Im much happier. Don't get me wrong I may likely go back to a permanant job someday but for now I am very happy with my position. I have also worked on my other passion: painting, ceramics and all sorts of art for 10 of those months, and while I did this I sometimes worked in a kitchen and helped wash and prepare meals - so I know both sides of the coin.

My change of lifestyle has been a TOTAL breath of fresh air and has led me to really feel what is the (or should I say "my"?) real meaning of life :)

With this, after working for 2 months in Denmark and before I return to my daily life in Dublin, I have decided to take off at least 2 months and from those, at least one full month will be for volunteering, if not more.

So I have been researching (extensively!) into the situation down in Greece (and surrounding countries) and I have finally booked my flight for the 31st of March, to Athens. 

As you know things have been...insanely disheartning for Syria and then of course for the countries surrounding that try and dont have much of a choice. People as of today (Ive been following several forums and groups) STILL continue to arrive (and die), in dispair, on their trip across the Mediterranean Sea. And the people that do arrive, well, even if they did have some savings to start with, the days, months, YEARS of waiting lead them to poverty, lack of schooling, running out of their daily meds, you name it we all know (and still cant imagine) how horrible it has to be for them.

With this I have decided I needed to volunteer in some form, and after 6 months of having this knot in my stomach saying I have to do something I have finally come to the point of doing my part.

As of the beginning of April I will be volunteering in a social pharmacy in Katerini, Greece. What is a social pharmacy? Actually this was a concept the greek community came out with when recession hit and people started to not have money for their medication. In this pharmacy, run exclusively by DONATED MEDICATION, anyone in the presence of a prescription may receive their medication free of charge.

This pharmacy now serves around 500 Greek families, 5 refugee camps averaging 3000 patients and some Greek hospitals.

As well as my time, I already have 200 euro aside from a fundraiser I held a while back and this is going into flights, transport, vaccinations, criminal record check and insurance (probably not enough but Im happy to put in whatever remains).

Accomodation fortunately (because its not common at all) will be covered by the pharmacy when Im in Katerini (as they have an apartment over the pharmacy, its a kind of 'rural' setting I guess I can explain it that way. Whenever I go help in Thessaloniki (whenever emergencies arrive and I can see my help will be important) I will be staying in hostels (low budget accomodation).

I have decided to create this fundraiser as some of my friends and family may want to help and I can guarantee that the money will go directly to people in need; in the form of food, clothing or other necessities. 

If you ever wanted to donate to a charity but "feared" that your money wasnt going to be used in the most ethical way, now is your chance to make a difference in someone´s life and you will know it will go directly to them. The more I take the more I can help and in this way you too are volunteering in an important worldly cause that will benefit further generations. As well as this purchasing in Greece will also help grow the economic state which once more suffered from a refugee crisis.

I am following several volunteer forums on facebook and also blogs written by volunteers and these are examples of what they ask people for and what they buy on a regular basis:

- underwear, socks
- pads and tampons
- shoes
-fruit and vegetables
- blankets
- grains and pasta
- toothpaste and toothbrushes
- soap


So knowing me well, knowing I am good with people and I enjoy taking care of others, if you would like to help in some form, now is the time. This is an opportunity to make a difference in others lives, and I am very blessed that I can go and help at least some.

Thanks for listening.

Stephanie 

<3

P.S. I will keep everyone up to date via facebook of how these funds get used.  Thank you again! <3