Supplies for Refugees on Samos
Donation protected
Imagine leaving your home abruptly, forced to make your way across strange borders to find safety and a new way to live.
This is the reality for the 60+ million refugees around the world.
If this population were a country, it would be the 23rd largest. It'd be off the map, with zero votes, zero infrastructure, and little hope.
I'm in a place to help out with this in the smallest drop in the ocean way.
So starting in mid-November and ending around Christmas, I'll be volunteering with the Boat Refugee Foundation on the island of Samos.
What's the Boat Refugee Foundation doing?
This Dutch organization is providing medical services for refugees on the islands of Samos and Lesbos in Greece, as well as doing rescue missions in the Mediterranean. In addition to providing medicine, baby food, and health services to a population of 2,000 refugees in the Samos camp (built for just 600 people) the BRF is helping run separate shelters for unaccompanied minors - teens under 18 who are traveling alone.
One such shelter on Samos is filled with teenage boys aged 14-21, coming from Syria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Lebanon, and more. These boys fled their countries by themselves and have made it to Samos as they await their next place to live. The shelter is run through Save the Children and is supported by the Greek government, but does not have permanent teachers at the moment, just BRF volunteers.
What are you doing there?
So I'm teaching English as a Second Language and basic Math to these students through a pre-set curriculum. Currently, I'll be their only teacher for several weeks as there are no other volunteers to take this on right now, as another teacher is transitioning off.
Beyond 3 days a week of those classes, I'm running a 2 day a week photo/video/audio storytelling workshop, so they can create and share their own stories, instead of being objectified as in so much media about them. I've got some gear of my own with which to teach them and they have 2 computers in the shelter (primarily used for video games right now).
If the boys can find ways to share their stories, they might be able to find new ways to draw awareness to the problems they encounter and are escaping. It could even be a way for them to earn money when they leave the camp. Ideally, I'd like to find a way to balance their privacy (both as minors and as people fleeing dangerous situations) with them sharing the work we create together.
Alongside this teaching, I'll be helping with the medical mission - providing medical supplies to the refugee population.
Are you like, qualified?
That's a tough question; this isn't a fake it til you make it scenario. I don't have medical skills or the relevant language chops I wish I had (except some Urdu). I have not done fieldwork.
But I have a dozen years of digital media (especially photography) experience, have taught teenagers before, and am able to work 6 days a week without pay for as long as my visa allows (which is up to about Christmas). I'm the guy that is there. I would love for more qualified people to volunteer instead.
OK, so what are you raising money for?
I'm working with the Boat Refugee Foundation to bring or ship the most relevant supplies possible. Volunteers tend to bring the same sorts of things, like clothes, which are not especially needed right now.
As of 11/08, the BRF ground coordinator told me they have a need for personal safety alarms ("rape alarms"). They're tiny little pendants, costing between $2-$4 that emit a 140 decibel sound for 10+ minutes once you pull a ripcord. It's a way to draw a lot of attention very quickly (and is immensely more practical than a whistle).
There's been an increase in sexual violence in and around the camp, and there are no more of these personal safety alarms left to distribute, so I'm hoping to raise funds to make a bulk order of 100-200 (or more).
The UNHCR estimates there are 150 unaccompanied minors and 500 unaccompanied women on the island, so even a few hundred could make a difference.
I'm looking to pick these up from local wholesalers or directly from the manufacturers in China (the more you buy, the cheaper it gets).
It's a changing situation, so if prenatal vitamins or infant cough syrup suddenly becomes vitally important, I'll procure that, but I'm confident the alarms are a very, very practical investment to help with safety, and that no one else is bringing them, let alone in a bulk purchase.
I'm not pretending it's going to make people a lot safer. But this is the small thing I can do.
And where it makes sense after these humanitarian staples, I'll also be purchasing or getting a donation of 2-3 ~$100 Go-Pro style camera kits (reach out to me directly if interested in that specifically) so I can leave them at the camp for my students.
In-kind donations would be great, but the VAT and shipping from America is prohibitive, and getting these things locally is more helpful.
When do I need the funds?
I'm headed out on November 19th, so I plan to close this out in approximately a week. This is my first real crowdfunding campaign (besides mustache November...I'll spare you the photos).
How will the money NOT be used?
It won't go to me. I am not asking for a single dollar for myself. I have covered my own costs for room and board. I feel really uncomfortable with people asking for their volunteering to be funded when their cause could be.
Any money raised in excess from this campaign will be spent on the most urgent needs of the BRF medical mission.
How important is this?
Very.
Uh, what do you mean?
These refugees aren't going away to new homes elsewhere in Europe quickly - most are stuck in political limbo. And while there had been a slowdown earlier in the year, the end of October brought an increased flow of migrants to Samos and elsewhere.
The BRF says: "Due to changes in the political situation in Greece, the focus of our help has changed from acute care of boat refugees on the coasts in Greece to more structural and prolonged help in the (overcrowded) refugee camps".
Not to be rude, but what do I get out of it as a funder?
The only reward here is one of knowing you're helping.
Photography is prohibited in the camp, so I can't promise photos of refugees smiling with a box of supplies or sharing any videos made by my students, but I'll put together a video thank you for all backers.
Update: To make this Kickstartery, if you donate $23 or more (my family's lucky number), I'll send you a personal video thank you from somewhere interesting in my travels. Because it means a lot to me and every bit helps.
How do I trust you with these piles of money and what about tax deductions?
If you're concerned about giving money to someone over the Internet (and you should be) or if you want the records to take a tax deduction, particularly for larger amounts, you're better off donating to the BRF directly here. Then forward me the donation receipt with amount, and I can add it to the goal as an "offline donation".
If there had been a way to send the money directly to the BRF from this site, I'd have done it, but GoFundMe only supports North American charities.
I'll most likely be cutting a check for the BRF with the full proceeds anyway instead of buying supplies myself, with the possible exception of camera gear which I need more immediately for teaching. They know this campaign exists and will be able to see if my total $ raised matches what I give them.
What else can I do besides donate?
PLENTY.
There are refugees all around the world; you can help them practice languages or just welcome them to your country. The International Rescue Committee is a solid place to start for finding refugee aid programs near you.
You can also share this post (with a note as to why you think it matters!) to your social networks.
What if I want to volunteer with the Boat Refugee Foundation?
First of all, awesome. There's a big need for volunteers this holiday break, especially around Christmas. You need to be there at least a week - training a volunteer isn't instant and it detracts from them doing work. If you have Silicon Valley style unlimited time off...this might be a great use of it.
Register directly with the instructions listed here and feel free to ask me if you have any questions. It's straightforward and you should hear back within a week.
How can I follow along?
Backers will get updates from me on the Samos projects, but better yet, subscribe to my infrequent newsletter which will cover my Samos experience, as well as my post-camp travels and creative work.
Anything else I should know?
It's also worth learning about this situation at large: the refugee population in Europe is relatively quite small. European states don't even crack the top 10 in asylum giving countries according to UNHCR data.
Why the media and governments have portrayed this European situation as a humanitarian crisis (an earthquake is a genuine humanitarian crisis, whereas this is a European political crisis that has birthed a humanitarian one) and where the roots of the individual political situations come from are nuanced questions I can't answer for you.
But I've been challenged to look by people who have advised me; I encourage you to do the same. It is not as simple as it looks, because it's a constellation of interrelated problems, though I've tried to make it a little easier to understand in this post, because I'd like to motivate people to act.
This is the reality for the 60+ million refugees around the world.
If this population were a country, it would be the 23rd largest. It'd be off the map, with zero votes, zero infrastructure, and little hope.
I'm in a place to help out with this in the smallest drop in the ocean way.
So starting in mid-November and ending around Christmas, I'll be volunteering with the Boat Refugee Foundation on the island of Samos.
What's the Boat Refugee Foundation doing?
This Dutch organization is providing medical services for refugees on the islands of Samos and Lesbos in Greece, as well as doing rescue missions in the Mediterranean. In addition to providing medicine, baby food, and health services to a population of 2,000 refugees in the Samos camp (built for just 600 people) the BRF is helping run separate shelters for unaccompanied minors - teens under 18 who are traveling alone.
One such shelter on Samos is filled with teenage boys aged 14-21, coming from Syria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Lebanon, and more. These boys fled their countries by themselves and have made it to Samos as they await their next place to live. The shelter is run through Save the Children and is supported by the Greek government, but does not have permanent teachers at the moment, just BRF volunteers.
What are you doing there?
So I'm teaching English as a Second Language and basic Math to these students through a pre-set curriculum. Currently, I'll be their only teacher for several weeks as there are no other volunteers to take this on right now, as another teacher is transitioning off.
Beyond 3 days a week of those classes, I'm running a 2 day a week photo/video/audio storytelling workshop, so they can create and share their own stories, instead of being objectified as in so much media about them. I've got some gear of my own with which to teach them and they have 2 computers in the shelter (primarily used for video games right now).
If the boys can find ways to share their stories, they might be able to find new ways to draw awareness to the problems they encounter and are escaping. It could even be a way for them to earn money when they leave the camp. Ideally, I'd like to find a way to balance their privacy (both as minors and as people fleeing dangerous situations) with them sharing the work we create together.
Alongside this teaching, I'll be helping with the medical mission - providing medical supplies to the refugee population.
Are you like, qualified?
That's a tough question; this isn't a fake it til you make it scenario. I don't have medical skills or the relevant language chops I wish I had (except some Urdu). I have not done fieldwork.
But I have a dozen years of digital media (especially photography) experience, have taught teenagers before, and am able to work 6 days a week without pay for as long as my visa allows (which is up to about Christmas). I'm the guy that is there. I would love for more qualified people to volunteer instead.
OK, so what are you raising money for?
I'm working with the Boat Refugee Foundation to bring or ship the most relevant supplies possible. Volunteers tend to bring the same sorts of things, like clothes, which are not especially needed right now.
As of 11/08, the BRF ground coordinator told me they have a need for personal safety alarms ("rape alarms"). They're tiny little pendants, costing between $2-$4 that emit a 140 decibel sound for 10+ minutes once you pull a ripcord. It's a way to draw a lot of attention very quickly (and is immensely more practical than a whistle).
There's been an increase in sexual violence in and around the camp, and there are no more of these personal safety alarms left to distribute, so I'm hoping to raise funds to make a bulk order of 100-200 (or more).
The UNHCR estimates there are 150 unaccompanied minors and 500 unaccompanied women on the island, so even a few hundred could make a difference.
I'm looking to pick these up from local wholesalers or directly from the manufacturers in China (the more you buy, the cheaper it gets).
It's a changing situation, so if prenatal vitamins or infant cough syrup suddenly becomes vitally important, I'll procure that, but I'm confident the alarms are a very, very practical investment to help with safety, and that no one else is bringing them, let alone in a bulk purchase.
I'm not pretending it's going to make people a lot safer. But this is the small thing I can do.
And where it makes sense after these humanitarian staples, I'll also be purchasing or getting a donation of 2-3 ~$100 Go-Pro style camera kits (reach out to me directly if interested in that specifically) so I can leave them at the camp for my students.
In-kind donations would be great, but the VAT and shipping from America is prohibitive, and getting these things locally is more helpful.
When do I need the funds?
I'm headed out on November 19th, so I plan to close this out in approximately a week. This is my first real crowdfunding campaign (besides mustache November...I'll spare you the photos).
How will the money NOT be used?
It won't go to me. I am not asking for a single dollar for myself. I have covered my own costs for room and board. I feel really uncomfortable with people asking for their volunteering to be funded when their cause could be.
Any money raised in excess from this campaign will be spent on the most urgent needs of the BRF medical mission.
How important is this?
Very.
Uh, what do you mean?
These refugees aren't going away to new homes elsewhere in Europe quickly - most are stuck in political limbo. And while there had been a slowdown earlier in the year, the end of October brought an increased flow of migrants to Samos and elsewhere.
The BRF says: "Due to changes in the political situation in Greece, the focus of our help has changed from acute care of boat refugees on the coasts in Greece to more structural and prolonged help in the (overcrowded) refugee camps".
Not to be rude, but what do I get out of it as a funder?
The only reward here is one of knowing you're helping.
Photography is prohibited in the camp, so I can't promise photos of refugees smiling with a box of supplies or sharing any videos made by my students, but I'll put together a video thank you for all backers.
Update: To make this Kickstartery, if you donate $23 or more (my family's lucky number), I'll send you a personal video thank you from somewhere interesting in my travels. Because it means a lot to me and every bit helps.
How do I trust you with these piles of money and what about tax deductions?
If you're concerned about giving money to someone over the Internet (and you should be) or if you want the records to take a tax deduction, particularly for larger amounts, you're better off donating to the BRF directly here. Then forward me the donation receipt with amount, and I can add it to the goal as an "offline donation".
If there had been a way to send the money directly to the BRF from this site, I'd have done it, but GoFundMe only supports North American charities.
I'll most likely be cutting a check for the BRF with the full proceeds anyway instead of buying supplies myself, with the possible exception of camera gear which I need more immediately for teaching. They know this campaign exists and will be able to see if my total $ raised matches what I give them.
What else can I do besides donate?
PLENTY.
There are refugees all around the world; you can help them practice languages or just welcome them to your country. The International Rescue Committee is a solid place to start for finding refugee aid programs near you.
You can also share this post (with a note as to why you think it matters!) to your social networks.
What if I want to volunteer with the Boat Refugee Foundation?
First of all, awesome. There's a big need for volunteers this holiday break, especially around Christmas. You need to be there at least a week - training a volunteer isn't instant and it detracts from them doing work. If you have Silicon Valley style unlimited time off...this might be a great use of it.
Register directly with the instructions listed here and feel free to ask me if you have any questions. It's straightforward and you should hear back within a week.
How can I follow along?
Backers will get updates from me on the Samos projects, but better yet, subscribe to my infrequent newsletter which will cover my Samos experience, as well as my post-camp travels and creative work.
Anything else I should know?
It's also worth learning about this situation at large: the refugee population in Europe is relatively quite small. European states don't even crack the top 10 in asylum giving countries according to UNHCR data.
Why the media and governments have portrayed this European situation as a humanitarian crisis (an earthquake is a genuine humanitarian crisis, whereas this is a European political crisis that has birthed a humanitarian one) and where the roots of the individual political situations come from are nuanced questions I can't answer for you.
But I've been challenged to look by people who have advised me; I encourage you to do the same. It is not as simple as it looks, because it's a constellation of interrelated problems, though I've tried to make it a little easier to understand in this post, because I'd like to motivate people to act.
Organizer
Shahzad Ahsan
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY
