Refugee Biriyani & Bananas
We support vulnerable people worldwide residing in refugee/displaced peoples camps, squats or other unstable settlements and acute crisis zones. We provide the following support:
Emergency aid and basic necessities.
Volunteers on the ground.
Mass aid distributions in a fair, equitable and dignified manner.
Individualised care and support as needed for general well being.
Morale boosting activities.
Opportunities to participate in aid sorting and distribution as well as decision making in what provisions are needed.
Advocacy for people facing displacement, including those incarcerated.
Where is it?
Chios, Greece
What will I be doing?
Typically, the work we do is sorting, packing, preparation, and distribution of aid. This may be for the people residing in Vial camp or for those living in apartments and squats for displaced people in Chios. You may be asked to do some work on a laptop if deemed suitable such as registration for distributions or other admin activities for the organisation.
You may also be asked to go to suppliers, shops, or other warehouses to buy, collect or gather aid. If you are a driver you may be needed for transportation of aid, supplies, other volunteers, and those we are helping to support with their general wellbeing such as taking them for hospital appointments.
You may be involved in participating in providing morale boosting sessions such as taking groups on day trips or children’s activities.
We work hard. Please be prepared for long physical days. We may be making food packs, sorting clothes, lifting boxes, managing distributions, and much more.
Most of the work we do will be during the daytime; however, we may continue into the evening and night after a safety and accessibility assessment. The field project coordinator will discuss this with the team before a decision is made. We also work during weekends. However, you will be provided with time to rest or days off.
What impact would I have?
You will be helping us to provide urgent aid and basic necessities to over 5000 people who are seeking asylum in Chios. This can include food, water, shelter items, clothes, shoes, season specific aid such as firewood in the winter or mosquito repellent in the summer, medical aid, baby products and hygiene kits.
You will help us to sustain people under the challenging conditions they are living in, provide dignity and the means to boost morale, fulfilling basic human needs. Your support will also help us to raise awareness and garner further support for displaced people.
Who will I be working with?
You will be working with a team of 10-15 from all over the world and from all backgrounds. Our team also consists of people who are seeking asylum themselves. We work with many different organisations to fulfill different goals in our humanitarian aid provisions.
Minimum age
18 years old
Accommodation
We do not provide accommodation so you will have to self-fund your own. Our volunteer coordinator will support you in finding somewhere suitable. There may be opportunities to share with current volunteers already on the ground to help with costs.
Extra costs
If you are a driver you may need to hire a car and pay for fuel however there is usually the opportunity to share cars and costs with an existing driver or other non-driving volunteers. Some volunteers prefer to have their own vehicles so they can be flexible if they want to go somewhere in their own time, as public transport is not so available here. Our volunteer coordinator will advise you on where to hire cars.
On occasion, we will go out for team meals and this will include our team members who are from the community we are supporting who cannot pay for themselves. There are no obligations, however, we have a sharing and caring policy, so if you would like to contribute something small towards their meals that would be welcome.
Interested in volunteering?