The crisis
In 2015, nearly 850,000 refugees traveled to Greece, fleeing conflict and violence in their home countries. The crisis continues: each day about 2,000 people from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan arrive in Greece. So far this year, 123,000 migrants have reached Greek shores in the hope of finding safety and a better life in Europe.
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Many refugees are forced to leave family members behind, or they become separated from family during the journey. The trip is arduous—for example, the average trip from Afghanistan to Greece takes 65 days. Travelers often lack food, shelter, clothing, blankets, and medical care. They risk their lives to cross the Aegean Sea from Turkey in unseaworthy crafts; in January alone, 96 people died and 34 were declared missing in Greek waters.
So far this year, 123,000 migrants have arrived in Greece in the hope of finding safety and a better life in Europe.
Migrants often encounter violence along the way. Over one-third of Syrians and Afghans in Greece who participated in surveys by the UN Refugee Agency reported witnessing or experiencing violence, including emotional abuse, robbery, economic exploitation, and physical assault. Women and children made up 57% of the total arrivals to Greece in January; some were children traveling alone (7% of Afghans and 3% of Syrians, according to the surveys).
Once they arrive in Greece, refugees live in crowded conditions and face shortages of food, shelter, water, and sanitation. They are susceptible to disease, endangered by violence, and targeted by human smugglers. European policy forces arrivals to apply for asylum in Greece—a nation in financial meltdown—rather than travel to countries where family members live or where job opportunities exist. Border restrictions and the lack of a coordinated European response are thwarting relocation efforts. Austria and nine Balkan states have recently enacted measures that will effectively seal their borders and force most refugees to return to Greece.
How we are responding
Between January 2015 and February 2016, about 574,000 people landed on the Greek island of Lesbos. At our newly opened transit center in Apanemo on the northern coast of Lesbos, we furnish food, clothing, blankets, feminine supplies, medical treatment, solar lamps, and phone chargers. Refugees rest in comfortable, heated tents, where digital screens display information about registration procedures in Arabic, Farsi, and English. Children can play in recreational spaces, and women can breastfeed in a private tent.
We are calling for an increase in humanitarian aid and urging European nations to respond meaningfully and compassionately to this crisis.
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Transportation by bus spares refugees the 40-mile walk to the island’s capital, Mytilene. At the Kara Tepe camp near Mytilene, we are delivering clean water, building showers, and providing sanitation. Follow-up visits ensure that unaccompanied children feel safe and receive care. We offer baby strollers, wheelchairs, crutches, medical referrals, expedited registration, and psychosocial support for children, the elderly, and the sick.
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