As a key entry point to Europe, Greece sees large numbers of asylum seekers and refugees, particularly during periods of geopolitical instability in the Middle East and Africa. Such surges in migration often overwhelm the capacity of local makeshift housing camps, contributing to crowded, substandard living conditions and at times creating tensions with local people. In the face of such challenges, the Greek government has adopted a harsher stance on migration, aiming to expedite the asylum process and increase border security, and have even been accused of conducting unlawful forced returns at the border.
Established in 2015 as a response to rising numbers of boat landings in Chios, Greece, Offene Arme (OA) originally comprised a group of volunteers patrolling the coast to distribute food and supplies to those in need. Nearly ten years later, with the tireless work of the team and help from external donors, OA has implemented schemes providing healthcare, education, food, and clothing provisions to residents of Vial refugee camp. In its current form, OA operates from a warehouse near the camp, running a free shop from which new arrivals can obtain clothing, homeware, and hygiene items. The goal is not only to distribute these essential resources, but also to restore some sense of normalcy to the lives of customers, who have the freedom to choose their own items and shop with their families and friends. As a large proportion of asylum seekers and refugees are unaccompanied minors (UAMs) who would otherwise not be able to visit the shop alone, OA also runs a pop-up shop outside of the camp, and organises specialised distributions to dispense excess stock.
During our time with the organisation, we were fortunate to participate in 4 distributions for women, babies, and UAMs. Our jobs in the warehouse ranged from serving customers, packing and sorting donations and stock, planning distributions, and operating OA’s free shop for the Greek locals. Overall, we served 241 customers, 224 of whom were new arrivals, distributing approximately 4087 items.
As an NGO, OA relies on donations and the help of volunteers, limiting available resources. We were a relatively small team, especially given the influx of new arrivals during June, and had to maximise efficiency to ensure that distributions were completed during cooler hours between sunset and nightfall, and that customers were not left waiting for too long in the sun.
Our limited stock also presented a challenge, as we often had to face the disappointment of those who did not manage to find their items of choice. Popular products, such as shoes, were in short supply, and all shop visitors were restricted to selecting a certain number of items. Communicating such guidelines firmly and fairly across language barriers, occasionally to the frustration of customers, proved difficult. Although we quickly discovered the best ways to overcome language barriers using google translate, body language, pictorial informative signs, and leaning on bilingual team members for support, the unforeseen difficulty was in the emotional aspect of these interactions. It took unexpected resolve to deny customers their requests, but the more experienced team members were incredibly helpful in teaching us how to navigate such scenarios with confidence and compassion.
Not only did our work necessitate efficiency, but also flexibility, adapting to unpredictable factors such as the weather, customer numbers and arrival times, and donation deliveries. Our success thus hinged on the ability to cover for each other, to take on multiple roles, and to treat others on the team with kindness and understanding. The team was multicultural and international, meaning that each of us were used to distinct styles of communication. The quintessential British formality and passive aggression, for example, were not always compatible with Greek candour and zeal. Despite this, conflict within the team was scarce, united by our common goal and our commitment to giving each other as much grace and patience as we could muster in the Greek heat.
This experience has improved my communication skills more than anticipated, and I now feel more confident in my ability to adapt to unfamiliar settings, and to remain authentic when fostering connections with those who are vastly different from me. I particularly enjoyed being able to trust both the leader and the team around me to tackle the tasks and the challenges we faced. This sense of comfortable collaboration is something I will strive to recreate in any future teams I may work with. Perhaps most importantly, I have learned that there are many different ways to lead effectively. Given the unconventional working environment of the free shop, vastly different from both the lab and the classroom with which I am familiar, it was necessary to adopt a different approach to leadership. This was especially evident when coupled with Greek values of community and emotional transparency, where taking time to build relationships with each other and the customers was viewed to be equally important as executing our shared goal.
Building these relationships was one of the most rewarding aspects of this project. All from different countries, different backgrounds, and with different destinations, we most likely would not have met if not for this common cause. I am incredibly grateful also to have had this opportunity to connect with Chios locals - whether met in the free shop, in nearby restaurants, or even via the (very) occasional successful hitchhiking attempt!