Author: Mahgul Nekoh

Our Food Bank as a Lifeline for the People on the Move

Although the main focus of our FoodBank Programme in Lesvos, Greece, is to support women and girls, we understand that sometimes they are not able to come and that the food items we distribute can be heavy to carry. In such cases, we gladly welcome the husbands and fathers to collect the food on behalf of their wives and daughters.

Last week, we welcomed a young father among the many women who visited the FoodBank. He was holding a shopping list and selecting the food items his wife had requested. In Lesvos and everywhere; it is always great to see father and mother working together for the wellbeing of their family! 

It is through your generous donations and through the dedication of our volunteers that we are able to run essential programmes like the FoodBank. To support our work, please visit the link here.

 

 

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Spending Time, Playing and Drawing with Children

In Mavrovouni Camp in Lesvos, Greece, a lot of displaced families live with children of all ages.Welcoming children is part of our work at the All4Aid Community Centre while their mothers come to collect food, clothes, hygiene items, do laundry and take showers. 

We have set up a comfortable and safe space for them to draw and play as well as to feel loved. We believe that these activities can be part of the coping process, while forming new friendships, laughing together and moving forward. 

If you would like to volunteer with us on Lesvos and help us welcome and serve children and their families , check out the application form here.

 

 

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Working with and Alongside Refugees

At All4Aid, we make a point to work with and alongside displaced people on the move.  

The lady in the photo (left) is a gifted young woman from Sierra Leone. She has been serving as a community volunteer at the All4Aid Community Centre on Lesvos, Greece, for the past three months. She has been taking care of the shower rooms, welcoming people at our FoodBank, keeping the storage area clean and tidy, as well as welcoming other refugee women and girls in the hospitality area. 

Finally, after some time in Lesvos, Greece, she has received her paperwork and is soon travelling to start her new life elsewhere. This photo above shows her doing a handover and explaining her job to another young woman, our new international volunteer who just arrived on Lesvos. 

Seeing her attitude, dedication and diligence, as well as her passion to help other refugee women and girls and explaining the work to new volunteers is really inspirational and a big encouragement for all of us to be helpful and kind. 

We thank our friend from Sierra Leone for being an inspiration to us all and we wish her a bright future.

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World Refugee Day

Today is World Refugee Day! It is all about standing with refugees everywhere and always. Today, we at All4Aid take a moment to commemorate the strength, courage and the resilience of millions of refugees all over the world, whoever they may be, wherever they may come from, and whenever they may be forced to flee.

As we mark this special day, at All4Aid, we commit ourselves to continue our work with refugees and asylum seekers in Greece, Cyprus and Romania and make steps daily towards displaced people attaining life in all its fullness. We count on your support and prayers to do so!

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Food Security Issues on Lesvos

Due to the implementation of a new migration policy, about 500 people living in the Mavrovouni Camp on Lesvos, Greece, have recently lost access to basic services provided by the government, including access to food and water.

Since the beginning of 2022, through our choice-model FoodBank Programme, All4Aid has been providing refugees on the island of Lesvos with dry food items that serve to complement the meals they receive in camp. The new current scenario has pushed All4Aid and other organisations on the ground to try to mobilise even more support towards promoting food security to all living in camp. 

All4Aid managing director, Rodrigo Assis da Silva, is currently on the island of Lesvos to assess the current crisis and support our local team. If you would like to contribute financially to this special food needs on Lesvos, please check out the donation link here.

 

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English Language Club

While in the asylum seeking process, people still want to continue developing themselves and learning new skills. One way of doing that is by learning a new language, a skill that they can carry with them wherever they go. Therefore, at All4Aid we started an English Language Club at our Community Centre in Larnaca, Cyprus. We seek to provide a safe space for people not only to learn English, but also to relax and connect with people from other countries. We believe that a positive language-learning experience can help people reframe their experiences going forward in their journey. While learning English is part of the goals of the group, ultimately, we want people to come away with a sense of empowerment and achievement.

If you would like to be part of our work in Cyprus or other locations, you can fill out the volunteering form by clicking here.

 

 

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Happy Mother’s Day!

Today we celebrate all mothers around the world! We celebrate the amazingly courageous refugee mothers forced to flee their homes due to war, violence and persecution with whom we work. 

Refugee mothers, like all other mothers, are determined to brighten their children’s future and to rebuild their family’s lives. At All4Aid, we want to work with these mothers towards seeing them and their children attain life in all its fullness.

If you would like to make a special donation to honour your mother or a special woman in your life in order to make a positive difference in the life of refugee mothers, please click here.

 

 

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Refugee Women and the Power of Art

We have been developing an Art Club for women at our Community Centre in Larnaca, Cyprus which is bringing about 12 refugee and asylum-seeking women from different cultural backgrounds to the sessions. It is a long-term programme and runs every Thursday morning. Through the power of art, All4Aid supports displaced women not only to improve their sense of  well-being and confidence, but also to  engage with each other, to support each other, to learn about each other’s cultures as well as to teach each other new skills.

The women who participate have come from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Congo, Cameroon and Kurdistan. Though they are from different countries, they all share the experience of having to flee their homes and trying to adapt to a new reality that they didn’t ask for as asylum seekers. We believe that art can be a powerful tool to reduce stress while promoting social engagement and self-expression.  

Programmes like the Art Club are made possible by your generous donations. To support this All4Aid programme and others like it, please click here. Thank you for your support!

 

 

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Repainting Outdoor Tables – Larnaca, Cyprus

Summer is coming soon and this is the perfect time to repaint outdoor tables! This might not seem like an important job but the tables we are painting are part of the hospitality area in our Community Centre in Larnaca, Cyprus, the space we use to welcome refugees and asylum seekers. That is where we drink tea together and socialise, even as they wait to access other services at the centre such as clothing or food distribution.

Following our concept of working with and alongside displaced people, the refugees and asylum seekers who volunteer at our centre were also part of this effort and we painted the outdoor tables together. This made the whole process even more special!  

If you are looking for an impactful way to spend time this year, please consider volunteering with us in Cyprus or Greece. You will be working alongside an amazing group of fellow volunteers from around the world as well as refugees and asylum seekers in a variety of areas. Come and share your passion for service with us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Refugee Young Lady’s Farewell

Joyful and full of dreams! She considered herself a “lucky young woman” for surviving the boat crossing to Lesvos, Greece. When she entered our community centre, she loved it and decided to volunteer with us. As a very gifted hairdresser, for months she gave her very best to serve and encourage other refugee women and girls who were coming to our center for food, showers, laundry, clothes and hygiene items. 

After some time on Lesvos, she finally received her paperwork to travel. One of our team members had the privilege of taking her to the airport and watching her take off to start her new life! When saying goodbye, she said: “One day, when I become very successful, I want to help All4Aid financially”. 

Stepping into the unknown with only a 10 kg carry-on and a heart full of dreams and plans, this young lady was already thinking about how she would give back! May this young lady’s attitude be a big encouragement for all of us to constantly consider different ways to give back to others in response to the blessings we have received!

If you would like to give towards the work of All4Aid, please visit: www.all4aid.org/give/

 

 

 

 

 

 

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