During September, approximately 3,000 refugees per day have arrived at the Greek island of Lesbos. The Greek administration is at a loss, like many of the established help organizations. Instead, many private persons and students are onsite to help.
A couple of women have settled in the shade of an olive tree in order to escape the scorching sun. One of them is Duha, a 42-year-old computer engineer from Syria, who is hoping for a more bearable life in the Netherlands.
“Before the war, Aleppo was good. It was a beautiful city with electricity, water, internet and jobs. Now, the bombs are falling and most things are scarce. Since the war began it has been impossible to find a job”, Duha says.
Just a short while ago she, together with over two hundred other refugees, stepped ashore on one of the northern beaches on the island of Lesbos.
“When we left Turkey there were six boats with 40-45 people in each boat. But one was forced to turn around. I think they had engine problems”, Duha says.
She talks about how the boat was filled with water and how awfully long the two-hour boat ride felt.
“There were too many people and no space. In our boat there were children as well and they were of course terrified”, Duha says.
They have each paid $1,000 to cross the water and are now sitting in line along the road in the sleepy tourist town Molivos. They are waiting for a colored piece of paper that will guarantee them a seat on one of the buses headed for the city of Mytilini during the evening. There, they will hopefully be able to register themselves and within a couple of days receive the document that will allow them to take the ferry to Athens. Then an arduous journey through Europe awaits them.
“Apparently, the road is very long and dangerous, and we are already so tired – you cannot imagine how tired we are”, Duha says as her eyes fill with tears.
Duha wishes that Europe would open up legal ways for asylum seekers to reach Europe, for example by making it possible to fly.
“If that option was available I would take it, even if it would cost much more”
Upon arrival, she intends to first learn Dutch, in order to take a Master Degree in Computer Engineering and in that way gain a way into society.
The volunteers who have gathered in order to steer up the queue and make sure everything goes nice and smoothly are frustrated that they cannot do anything more to help. But Duha recounts how amazing she thinks it is that there are people here helping them along the way.
“In Aleppo, I used to be active in a committee that helped orphans. We took care of them until they were old enough to take care of themselves”
One of the people helping by the temporary bus station is the Dutch architecture student Tobias Baan. He is walking along the queue, handing out bottles of water.
“Originally, I came to Greece in order to do my internship at an architecture bureau in Molivos. But one evening I met a couple of activists at a bar who asked me to come along and help them the next day. I joined them, and it was very good”, Tobias Baan says.
It has now been a month and he plans on helping during his free time for the remaining five months of his internship.
“I help every day after work, and on free days, and during the siesta – when we are free from work. Really, I would like to help all the time, but I have to work as well”, he says.
Tobias thinks it is an obvious thing to help, and sees it as his duty to do whatever he can.
He and Duha talk for a while. She tells him that she is going to the Netherlands, and he tells her that he is from there.
“Maybe I will see you there one day? Inshallah?”, says Tobias.
“Inshallah” Duha answers and laughs.
Two other students, who are also doing what they can to help the refugees along the hard road from the northern part of the island to the southern part, are Amanda Nilsson and Adla Jebara. But unlike Tobias they are only here for a couple of days. Normally, Amanda studies law at Lund University and Adla studies a technical preparatory year at Campus Helsingborg. They decided to travel to Lesbos just a week before actually going there.
“We found a gap in between mandatory lectures and weekend jobs. But I have lab work as soon as I come home, so I will try to study some math and physics at the airport”, Adla says.
They have driven up and down the island four days in a row now. They have given people water (almost 1,000 liters per day), bananas, crackers, blankets and sandwiches. Adla even gave her shoes away to a little boy.
They have also assisted in getting refugees out of the sinking boats and onto dry land, and have driven as many people as possible to the refugee camps on the southern side of the island.
“Their hope is at its peak when they get off the boat. There is euphoria, and they wave their life vests despite the boat often being filled with water, and them needing help to come ashore”, Amanda says.
Before they came here, Amanda (who has been driving) was slightly worried over how she would manage the traffic.
“Driving has gone better than I thought it would. The worst thing has been the fright of running someone over during nighttime. Then, many refugees lay with their heads towards the road, as if in protest. That is apparently why the buses will not drive at night, you kind of have to zigzag”, Amanda says.
After four days in the middle of the refugee crisis, the girls are now returning to their regular lives with studies and work at Ikea. Despite it being tough, both still agree that it feels good, and that they could not have kept going for another week.
“We have barely slept at all, and I don’t know how many infants you can handle seeing on a 40°C (104°F) road”, Amanda says.
Yet, Adla’s heart aches more for the parents.
“They are the ones worrying about the children. In spite of everything, the kids can still be happy sometimes, while the parents carry the biggest psychological burden”
Amanda and Adla have given it their all here. Now, they think others should come down and continue the work.
“We have done so much more than we thought we could. All you need is the will to help and a couple of thousands to pay for the plane ticket, car rental and living accommodation for yourself and a whole lot of commitment. There are lots of things to hand out and much more that needs to be done”, says Amanda.
Duha’s last name has been omitted in this article in order to protect her identity.
Translation: Elise Petersson
