The "Holistic Support for Refugees Arriving to Greece" project will provide emergency aid and psychosocial support to refugees in Greece which has been the first point of entry into Europe for refugees making the treacherous journey in hope of finding asylum and refuge. Greece's resources have been overstretched, bearing the brunt of the recent mass influx of refugees for over 1.5 years.
As of October 2016, over 1,300,000 refugees have attempted the tremulous crossing into Europe through the Aegean Sea. Individuals and families arrived in Europe tired, sick, and traumatized, devoid of any belongings, and carrying the burdens and scars of years of conflict. Following the closure of the Greek-Macedonian border in March 2016, Greece has become a long-term transit spot for refugees, as their duration of stay remains prolonged and their future unknown.
In the face of the rapidly changing needs of refugees in crisis, IsraAID's Arabic speaking professional team of psychosocial support personnel are working together with local authorities and partners to manage the overwhelming number of refugees. With the situation becoming more static, IsraAID's focus has moved from medical and psychosocial triage to continuous programs addressing stress reduction, community building, resilience promotion and development of coping mechanism.
As refugees were arriving to the shores of Lesbos, IsraAID provided support in the form of immediate medical care and psychological first aid with an emphasis on self-care skills and coping techniques. IsraAID's current activities in the refugee camps empowers communities towards self-reliance, while providing the most vulnerable with psychosocial care that will allow them to gather inner strength to handle the situation and focus on moving forward towards a better life.
