In 2018 Arlette Augustin worked as a volunteer fieldworker in Nea Kavala in Northern-Greece. Read more about what made her sign up and her experience from volunteering in Nea Kavala Refugee Camp here.
A rewarding experience that lasts a lifetime
Since 2015, 6000 volunteers from 60 different countries have travelled from their own countries to work with A Drop in the Ocean in Greece. These volunteers are the backbone of our operations, and without them in the field the work of A Drop in the Ocean would not be possible. While most volunteers travel alone, Lars Bremnes chose to take his whole family, and in autumn 2018 he and his wife Mari and their two children made the journey to Greece – Lars as Volunteer Coordinator and Mari as a volunteer field worker. They worked for A Drop in the Ocean while also being full-time parents and acting as teachers for their children. They were there for two and a half months, but it was an experience that will continue to make its mark on the whole family for much longer than that. This article also appears in the Annual Report 2018. Read the entire report here.
Volunteering in Nea Kavala?
In early 2018, our operation in Northern Greece at Nea Kavala camp served around 300 residents and another 100 people living in UN accommodation in the local area. We ran a laundry service, weekly food distributions and a regular free shop where people could access clothes and hygiene products. We ran a wood workshop where people could build or repair things for their containers, or help out their neighbours and learn a new skill. Our bike rental was very popular with men and women wanting a bit of freedom to explore the local town.
A Drop Helps – An Interview with William Nygaard
“The effort of A Drop in the Ocean is a mere drop, but their work is incredibly important and well-organised. Keeping track of the logistics of us volunteers calls for good skills and leadership qualities. It went astonishingly well, with the patience and oversight of good leaders. The offer is wonderful, despite not reaching everyone in the camps. The social employment, language training, crafts, games, sports, and more are some of the foundation for creating hope. A drop helps.” – William Nygaard, previous editor and director of H. Aschehoug & CO, chairman of the Norwegian PEN, and voluntary fieldworker for A Drop in the Ocean.
Johnny Augland – Uses blues music to shed light on the refugee crisis in Greece
Johnny Augland has long experience in making blues music, and has previously engaged and inspired other young blues musicians. Now, he is using his voice to shed light on humanitarian challenges in the on-going refugee situation in Greece and Europe. This is done by releasing a song called «Liten Flykting» (Norwegian, meaning little refugee), on 20 June 2019 on the boat MS Bjørvika, and donating the proceeds to A Drop in the Ocean’s work for people on the run.