Project Report
| Apr 26, 2019
A Place Like Home
![In Front of our Free Shop]()
In Front of our Free Shop
Dear GG Team, Friends and all Supporters,
in this report, Laura - one of our most valued long term volunteer, Distribution and Donation Manager, and recently also Volunteer Coordinator speaks about her experiences at the ECHO-HUB on Leros!
'I initially planned on staying four weeks on the island of Leros, down in the Aegean sea, working as a volunteer for ECHO 100plus, which was introduced to me as "a very special NGO" I would surely like, by a friend of mine. Now, after having spent not four weeks, but seven months, our community- and adult education centre for refugees, the "Hub", has become my second home and the people visiting it have become part of my family.
And like every family does we're facing minor and major joys and difficulties every day.
Among the volunteers, we start each morning with a meeting to prepare the day and a lot of coffee.
We then go to work, whether it's the taxi service to bring our students to their classes and back to the camp, sorting cloth donations in our warehouse, pack them up and stock our free shop in town, teaching classes and workshops, doing administration, networking with the other organisations on ground or simply taking care of the house and the garden.
Which is often supported by the refugees as well, who translate, teach music and art lessons or help out in the shop.
And apart from all the work, there's always quality time with the family. To sit together in our living room, the library and heart of the Hub to talk and listen.
To share. To enjoy Syrian sweets together that the neighbour has brought over for the birth of his daughter. To comfort each other after having received devastating news. To secretly write birthday cards. To have the music students give a little concert for a special occasion. To prepare Palestinian pastries and have afghan dinner together. To celebrate Eid al-Fitr, Nouruz and Christmas. To dance, play chess, clean the beaches on the island of all the trash. And always to welcome new family members and say farewell to those moving on.
We've been waiting for each other in the hospital, at the port or regularly in the morning for those of us who are always late.
At times we get sad, angry, overwhelmed or simply insecure about the future. But the one thing we can be sure of is that we can always count on each other.
We use to say "no one stays here forever" even though it feels like that to many asylum seekers. The waiting in uncertainty can be immensely discouraging. But I'm confident that the spirit in this house is empowering the people in it to take the next step and find their way when they leave the island.
Because it takes more than seven English levels, Music -, IT-, Greek- and French classes, exams and seven workshops to make people feel at home. Especially those who have lost theirs. Even more so their families, jobs and hopes.
It takes understanding, reliability and safety that comes from trust. Trust, that grows every day while we're working and studying and laughing and talking together. Like every family does.
This place is a blessing to me and I wish it will be to everyone setting foot in it. Laura'
![In our Warehouse]()
In our Warehouse
![On a Hike with Students]()
On a Hike with Students
![Chess]()
Chess
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