JUNE 2023

In June 2023, we at Wave served 1418 hot meals, welcomed 45 new arrivals, distributed 912 clothing items, 17 sleeping bags and 749 hygiene items, ran 206 showers, charged  295 phones and powerbanks, and washed 115 loads of laundry.

 

STICHTING HULPKARAVAAN DONATION

This month, we received a visit from Stichting Hulp Karavaan, who generously donated shoes and summer clothing items such as jeans and t-shirts. Their contribution was timely as we were struggling to meet the demand for clothing distribution at our centre while also responding to the ongoing need for prison packages. We would like to thank Stichting Hulp Karavaan, who also provided us with much-needed supplies in February!

 

PRISON PACKAGES

In the past month, we supported 51 people detained in Paranesti and Xanthi Pre-Removal Detention Centres with clothing, hygiene items and coffee. The demand for assistance from detainees remains high as we continue to receive requests for support. Without donations, it would be impossible for us to support people detained. Due to the increase in requests and additional postage costs incurred, we are exploring ways to secure funding to sustain this service. If anyone is willing to contribute, they can make a donation through our website https://wave-thessaloniki.com/#donate

 

FOR REFUGEES VISIT

We had the pleasure of welcoming Amber and Ingrid from For Refugees at our centre! We had the chance to give them a firsthand look at our operations and show how our project has expanded, and they kindly assisted us in cooking and packaging prison packages! We faced some difficulties last November and ran out of sleeping bags, leaving us unable to distribute them to the many newcomers at our centre. After reaching out to For Refugees for emergency support, they stepped in and made a donation of 3000 GBP which enabled us to purchase sleeping bags and distribute them. We would like to extend a sincere thank you to For Refugees for supporting and contributing to our project.

 

EID AL-ADHA

This month marked Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, one of the most important Islamic festivals Muslims celebrate, including many within the community we serve. Sacrificing an animal is a significant ritual during Eid al-Adha. To honour the occasion, our community members generously donated a sheep, which was used to prepare and serve a tasty mutton tajine. Similar to Ramadan, it marked the first time in three years that we were able to host Eid al-Adha celebrations indoors. Being away from their homes and loved ones, occasions like this can be challenging for our community, which is why celebrating indoors communally is important. Eid Mubarak to all those who observe!