With almost all of the former residents of Moria now moved into the new camp, there has been an increase of transfers from Lesvos to the mainland of Greece and other EU countries in an effort to decongest the island. Because of these transfers, we have had to say goodbye to some of our community volunteers that we have worked with at our centre. This is a very normal reality of our work but it is always hard to say goodbye to those with whom we have become friends with while they are here.

Last week, we said goodbye to one of our resident volunteers who had lived inside Moria. She worked with us as a seamstress and often came to the centre with her two small children. Her family has been transferred to Athens where they will continue the process of claiming asylum in Europe. Most of our team wasn’t actually able to say goodbye in person because it happened so quickly, but she was able to contact one of our long-term volunteers after she had arrived in Athens.

During their conversation she thanked us for helping her and said that she forgot her problems in Moria when she was working at our centre.

This is a huge part of what we do. Yes we have facilities that provide women and children with important basic needs like hygiene and laundry, but we also want to be a space that does more than that. We are a space where women and children can be safe, where they can learn and where they can build community, no matter how much time they are with us for.