Resident Volunteers

Eurorelief empowers refugees in the camps by offering resident volunteer programs. These programs allow residents to engage in tasks and activities that serve others and provide for their families. It empowers them to feel dignified and purposeful, make friends, and support Eurorelief's work. This program is a valuable way to provide growth and be in community with the residents that volunteer their time and skills, but it also greatly increases our capacity to serve in camp. Many of these volunteer positions are skilled professions that could not be filled by our international volunteers. But they generously give their time and skill to help make a difference in the lives of their fellow residents in the camp. “When a Resident Volunteer trims hair all day or makes a beautiful shelving unit at someone’s request in our Skills Area, or serves food for hours to an entire third of camp, it is a meaningful step towards hope and restored dignity,” shares TJ, our Resident Volunteer Coordinator. “Here we are all people from many different cultures and backgrounds working together for the common goal of helping others in camp. The resident volunteers quickly become friends and a part of the Eurorelief team family.”

By being a Resident Volunteer, they can regain a sense of dignity and purpose that is often lost in the harsh conditions of the camps. They can also interact with volunteers and residents from different backgrounds and cultures, creating bonds of friendship and understanding. Furthermore, they can contribute to the work of Eurorelief, which relies on the support of both international and local volunteers to provide assistance and relief to the refugees. Resident volunteer programs are not only beneficial for the camp residents but also for Eurorelief and the wider community. They promote social cohesion, skill development, mental health and well-being among the refugees. They also enable Eurorelief to reach more people and provide more services than it could otherwise.

Resident volunteers  work alongside our international volunteers at our Info Point, Social Care, Men’s Community Engagement Center as barbers and tailors, Women’s Community Engagement Center as tailors, and beauticians, in our Skills Area, in our maintenance team, and with our food lines. Monthly, we provide them with a grocery voucher, a phone credit, a hygiene distribution and a clothing distribution from our warehouse, as a thank-you for their service. This averages to about 80€ per person per month.

Samos Resident Volunteer Annual Total: 24.000 euros
Lesvos Resident Volunteer Annual Total: 72.000 euros