Europe Refugee Crisis Report

8/16/2019 Europe Refugee Crisis Report

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Europe Refugee Crisis

Emergency humanitarian assistance provided to refugees arriving on the

Greek Island of Lesvos - a joint initiative under the banner, Zainabiyya Alliancefor Refugees (ZAR)

Report prepared:

MAY 2016

Wood Lane | Stanmore, Middlesex UK HA7 4LQ

www.world-federation.org

[email protected]

Registered Charity in the UK, No. 282303


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OVERVIEW

Between January 2015 and April 2016, almost 1.2

million refugees ed to Europe on unseaworthy

boats and dinghies across the Mediterranean

Sea. Over half of these refugees were women and

children. In 2016 alone, more than 1,300 refugees

have died or are missing. Many of these civillians

are eeing war, violence and persecution in their

countries of origin. Europe has been suffering

from the worst refugee crisis since World War II.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner

for Refugees (UNHCR), the top three nationalities

of the Mediterranean Sea arrivals since the

beginning of 2016 are Syrian (43%), Afghan (23%)

and Iraqi (14%).

The Greek Islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos,

Leros, Kalymnos, Kos, Rhodes, and Symi have

seen a large inux of people arriving by boat,

putting a great deal of pressure on the land, thelocals, the economy and the environment. They

left their homes with only the clothes on their backs

with the hope that they would be welcomed with

open arms. However, upon landing on the shores

of Europe, these families are quickly learning that

their hardships are far from over.

As families disembark from their boats, they need

food, clean water, dry clothes, sanitation facilities

and other basic necessities. They also need

moral support, guidance, compassion and an

understanding heart as they come to a new land.

Whilst there are some individuals and organisations

in Greece providing these needs to the people,

much more needs to be done at a greater level to

better manage this refugee crisis and nd smart

solutions to resolve this global situation.

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EUROPE REFUGEE CRISIS | REPORT


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WHO IS ZAINABIYYA ALLIANCE

FOR REFUGEES (ZAR)?

In December 2015, The World Federation joined

The Council of European Jamaats, Imamia Medics

International, Islamic Centre of England, The Imam

Hussein Foundation and Majlis Ulema Europe to

form ZAINABIYYA ALLIANCE FOR REFUGEES

(ZAR) to lead a second trip to Greece to assist

refugees arriving on Europe’s shores by sending

volunteers and aid to different areas, starting with

the Island of Lesvos.

EUROPE REFUGEE CRISIS APPEAL

The EUROPE REFUGEE CRISIS APPEAL aims to

raise funds to deliver urgently needed humanitarian

aid to the thousands of refugees seeking asylum

in Europe. Our volunteers have been working

tirelessly in Lesvos, Greece alongside other

volunteers since October 2015 to provide direct

help to refugees as they arrive by boat.

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SUMMARY OF EXPENSESEUROPE REFUGEE CRISIS - LESVOS MISSION

DEC 2015 - APRIL 2016

DESCRIPTION TOTAL (GBP)

Aid Distribution to Refugees

(including water bottles, blankets, baby formula)£10,980.65

Volunteer Equipment & Supplies(including radios, walkie talkies, fashlights, high visibility jackets)

£1,220.70

Volunteer - Transportation, Accommodation Subsidy & Meals £4,582.85

Volunteer - Travel Cost Subsidy £6,946.98

Marketing £261

TOTAL COST £23,992.18

“THE 4 ‘Cs’ WE WORK BY ARE COMMUNICATE, COORDINATE,

COMPASSION, CONNECT.” HASAN POOYA, ZAR COORDINATOR


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OUR WORK, OUR ACHIEVMENTS

SINCE DECEMBER 2015:

Zainabiyya Alliance for Refugees (ZAR) sent its

rst team of volunteers to Lesvos on 4th December

2015. Our guiding philosopy was that the refugee

crisis in Europe was a humanitarian emergency

which Europe had not seen in decades and one

we anticipated would have a huge impact on

European Muslims; as a result, we felt we had a

moral and civic responsibility to help manage the

situation in whatever way we could.

ZAR chose to work in Lesvos becasuse this was the

geographical frontline where 60% of the refugees

were arriving in Europe. ZAR’s objectives were to:

• Provide humanitarian assistance to refugees;

• Work side by side with other volunteers of

different faiths and backgrounds to build bridges

of friendship and unity;• Enhance our community’s capacity to manage

challenging situations with the aim of overcoming

ethnic divisions, working towards a common

goal, and spreading the teachings of the Ahlul

Bayt (as) in practice rather than by words.

We work with people of all ethnicities, faiths

and sects to help in every way we can without

discrimination.

WE ARE THANKFUL TO GOD WHOALLOWED US TO SERVE &ACHIEVE OUR GOALS DESPITEMANY CHALLENGES. THRUOUR MIX OF ARABIC, FARSI & URDU

SPEAKING VOLUNTEERS &MEDICS WE STAND HERE TODAYHAVING ACHIEVED THE

FOLLOWING:• ZAR is the only Muslim organisation with a long

term presence on the island;

• ZAR is the only Muslim organisation allowed

access into Moira Camp which is central to all

refugee activity on the island;

• ZAR is the only organisation working directly

with UNHCR to assist with assessment and

follow-up of vulnerable cases (medical and

psychological issues, missing persons,

advocacy for fast track asylum and mediation;

• ZAR is the only volunteer organisation working

as protection ofcers and mediators with

government authorities to maintain peace and

harmony in the camp and to ensure that the

rights of refugees are protected - there are

many cases of protests, discrimination, ethnic

grouping and ghts that take place in the camp

which require daily vigilance and intervention;• ZAR has provided other humanitarian aid

including food, water, tents, medical treatment,

blankets, translation services, assistance with

boat landings and burial support.

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32,640bottles of

water & milk

distributed

101tents provided for

refugees sleeping

on the ground


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THE WORLD FEDERATION’S HEAD

OF RELIEF VISITS LESVOS

At the end of April 2016, The World Federation’s

Head of Relief, Br. Mahmood Dhala visited Lesvos

to see rst-hand the work taking place on behalf of

ZAR. He quotes:

‘After arriving in Lesvos, I toured the Island and

visited the various hot spots where countless boats

carrying refugees landed. My rst impression was

one of disbelief where today’s empty beachesmade it impossible to picture the sheer number

of refugees that landed on these shores over the

past year and a half. Even the rubber boats and life

jackets they arrived in were nowhere to be seen

as gypsies cleared them from the shores to make

a prot.

On the other hand, it was a major jolt and a reality

check when I saw rst-hand the plight of the Muslim

refugees in one of the camp.s They were helplessand unsure of where their future lied; many did not

even know where their loved ones were.

Although it was just the start of May, temperatures

on the day were hitting the mid-twenties (Celsius)

and it was evident that these refugees were now

sheltering themselves from the hot sun when not

long ago they had braved the harsh winter to make

the challenging journey into Europe.

The most moving part of my visit was witnessing

the high-impacting activities of the ZAR team.

Alhamdulillah, in the 7 months that we have been

in Lesvos, the relationships we have built with the

UNHCR, the camp manager and local authorities

has been so valuable that ZAR is the only Muslim

(let alone Shia) organisation that is ofcially

allowed to be present in the various camps.

The close working relationship between ZAR, theUNHCR and other NGOs has resulted in us working

hand in hand to meet the various challenges - be

it legal help, assistance of vulnerable cases or

camp logistics. Thanks to their wide range of skills

including language, ZAR volunteers have playedan instrumental role in the relief and aid efforts

on the Island. Alhamdulillah, credit goes to all the

ZAR volunteers for giving their valuable time and

passion in raising the ZAR ag in order to provide

assistance on the ground. While their true reward

lies with the Almighty, we pray to Him to grant each

one of these seless men and women goodness in

this world and goodness in the Hereafter - Ameen’

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VOLUNTEER REFLECTIONS

“Cases range from psychological trauma, frostbite,

hypothermia, single women and children travelling

alone, pregnant women requiring help, missing

and separated families, people with pre-existing

medical conditions requiring medical assistance,

people without money, burials or people just

seeking advice, guidance or assistance with

housing needs. The list goes on.”

“We have been busy assisting with boat landings

and had to help in the burial of an unidentifed male

found over 30 days ago. The reality of a fellow

human losing their life without loved ones present

or even aware of their death is difcult. Volunteers

do their best to help give the deceased a burial any

family would desire for their relative.”

“We worked on a case handed to us by the UNHCR

of an Afghan boy with an acute learning disability

and epilepsy who was abandoned by his family.Other cases are related to refugees being short of

money, providing general advice and supporting

women who are travelling alone with children.”

“The medical camp is warm and welcoming

(physically and emotionally). Playground games

are organised outside the clinic to make the

children happy amid all their struggles and chaos.

Translators are helping families communicate

with local authorities. I wish I could speak Arabicor Farsi. Nonetheless, I use my Urdu skills as

there are Pakistani and Afghani people who need

translators as well.”

“We have have been busy cleaning out huts

normally packed with refugees. This is strenuous

work bearing in mind the sheer volume of people

housed here along with blankets, tents and other

goods that come with them. The huts have to be

stripped of everything, swept and cleaned. Wedecided it would serve as a two way benet to

enlist the help of refugees in the clean-up who

were ready and willing to help and felt a sense of

purpose.”

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ZAR VOLUNTEERS

Our volunteers form the backbone of our

humanitarian presence in Lesvos and ZAR

extends its heartfelt appreciation to the individuals

who have selessly offered their time, skills and

resources to travel to Greece to provide vital

support as part of our mission.

ZAR volunteers come from the United Kingdom,

USA, Canada, Sweden, Germany, France, Egypt,

and Algeria. These individuals are compassionate,strong, exible, hard working, able to manage

difcult situations, have strong people skills and

are able to adapt to their changing environment

whilst in Lesvos.

Volunteer Team

Mehdi Abedian Shahjahan F. Khan

Aliya Abidi Dr. Umar Khan

Imad al-Fadili Raza Lakhani

Eslam al Soudani Myrium Mabrook

Salahdin Ali Leon Ehsan Mahmoodi

Habib Andani Dr. Safana Makhdoom

Eva Anderson Nofel Neil Mehdi

May Abdel Asim Bassant Menshawy

Haider Azam Shana Momin

Mandeep Bahia Ali MousawiMandeep Bahia Nada Mousawi

Leisha Beardmore Madiha Raza Panjwani

Hanan Belarbi Nikhat Panjwani

Linnea Berglund Weaam Janan Potros

Mojtaba Chaberei Shamim Rahemani

Samina Chopra Hussein Rahemtulla

Nefeli Gazis Shakir Rahemtulla

Humaira Ghiazada Asad Rashi

Dr. Zulkar Haider Rianna Russell

Dr. Fatima Husain Jasamin Sai

Dr. Zia Hussain Annie Shamsie

Shakir Ibrahim Sitara Siddiqi

Fatimah Jessa Suanne Tchikou

Fatimah Jeraj Sami Ahmed Tertar

Mohammad Jiyad Karin Tornell

Kavita Kapoor Shiraz Walji

Ahmad Kazzaz Zehra Walji

Farrakh Kazmi Moritz Wolff

Dr. Kerry Mona Mahrukh YusufNour Khabbaz

Kaleem Khan

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Thank You Our humanitarian mission to Greece is

all about extending help to the masses

of refugees seeking asylum from a life of

persectuion and violence.

Imam Husayn (as) said: “Indeed, the

opportunity to be able to full the needs of

people is amongst God’s blessings to you, so

do not be resentful for these blessings.”

Thank you for supporting the Europe Refugee

Crisis Appeal.

Europe Refugee Crisis Report

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