Gica's voluntary work at Samos

Gica Loening, of our Arts Service, was recently working as a volunteer at the Samos Refugee Camp where nearly 5000 people, including families and young children, have been living in makeshift tents and tarpaulins in freezing temperatures.  Samos is one of the EU frontline Greek islands nearest to Turkey, and has been a hotspot for thousands of refugees escaping wartorn and impoverished countries, but under reported in the media.

In the past 6 months the refugee population has grown to between 4000 to 5000 people. The official capacity for the camp, set up by the Greek Army was for 750, but most live in ‘the jungle’ spillover, with no sanitation or running water, and queues for food lasting five hours.  With the asylum process taking from a few months to 2 years, people are desperate, in limbo, and with limited access to human rights and the freedom to move off the island.

Gica’s six day a week timetable included helping out in the vital laundry service (you could expect to get your clothes and bedding washed every 5 months), being 'bouncer' on the door of the  community centre, where more than 500 people a day flooded in to take shelter, play board games, learn a language or use a sewing machine. As a musician she led music and song sessions for the camp children, including 300 unaccompanied minors and at the Saturday women’s sessions and  guitar group. Gica is left in photo with her fiddle.

Gica said: "The passion and skill for musicmaking and singing  amongst many of the refugees was impressive and moving, and was a reminder that  music and the arts can have a powerful effect amongst all the hardship and injustice.. It was an unforgettable and tough but amazing experience that will stay with me."

You can find out more about Samos Volunteers and the refugee situation HERE or read Gica’s blog .