Our volunteer team is now covering all three shifts in the camp and as you can see we are very excited about it!
Danish Refugee Council who we work very closely with are very happy with our work. Being trusted with all three shifts means a lot to us and keeps our volunteers very motivated to continue working hard for our guests.
Due to good weather conditions boats are coming in 24 hours a day and we have received thousands this past week. With a solid and very hard working team we welcome the responsibility and increased work load. Also thanks to I AM YOU's excellent coordinators and administrators we were able to, within one days notice, rearrange the schedule and get volunteers on board.
The morning shift that runs from 8am to 5pm help get all of our guests out from the huts for them to be cleaned. We guide them to get breakfast, catch the bus to Mytlini where the ferry leaves for Athens and in general do outreach in the camp to help with whatever is needed. Usually this means answering a lot of questions from our guests and figuring out how to solve whatever issues they may have.
The evening shift from 5pm to 1am continue with housing and help guide people to get dinner, clothes and blankets as well as getting registered. During this time the camp gets very quiet because most organizations leave but the need for support for the people who arrive is still great.
The night shift runs from 1am to 9am and that work consist mostly of receiving newcomers, which is part of our Arabic speakers main task, and helping them get registered, find shelter, new clothes and something to eat. Some nights, when the first ferry leaves at 6:45am, this is also the time to help families get organized to leave very early in the morning.
Things change dramatically within a day in Lesvos and it requires a lot of patience and flexibility and we are grateful for our incredible volunteers for embracing the ever-changing madness that the work here brings!