With thanks again to Love without Borders .. the voices of Vial are being heard in America.  The picture below is from an exhibition recently held in Brooklyn.  Watch this space for news of a small book which is being put together as we speak.

 

Now more than ever it is important to listen to these words.  With a world obsessed with statistics and numbers, it is important to remember that each and every number is a human with a family, a life and a voice.

The ‘refugee crisis’ has worsened over the last 6 months, with the islands in Greece at breaking point once more. Boats arriving every day packed with people who have risked everything to find safety for their families.  The instability and violence in Syria will see these numbers increasing.  The EU has failed on so many levels and seems unconcerned with how their failure is destroying innocent peoples lives.

We must remember that there are things we can do and try not to feel too helpless  – the first thing is to keep our eyes open, don’t turn away!  If we do, we are turning off our own humanity.

We can also support grass roots organisations such as Love without Borders, ChooseHumanity and Refugee Biryani and Bananas who help support people trapped in Greece.  These organisations provide life and soul saving services and aid – every penny you give is spent where its needed on the ground.

As for me, I am in my first year of Teaching – the work load is immense and I don’t know when I can volunteer again – but I wont forget my brothers and sisters seeking safety and a normal life.  My heart is still with you.

 

Please listen to Fatima (not her real name) from Palestine who took part in the Human Voice Project, she lives in a tent in Vial with her husband and children.

“I travelled from Turkey to Greece in a rubber dinghy across the sea, putting my life and my children’s life in danger, in order to get to safety and to provide a peaceful life for my family.”