Greek Caravan of Solidarity

Programs

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Greek Caravan of Solidarity - Programs

BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA

The first mission of the Caravan took place in 1993 to war-ridden Bosnia. By mobilizing municipalities, organizations, but above all, simple citizens, the Caravan managed to collect, transport and deliver to the non-combatant citizens of Bosnia food, medication and educational material.

In 1994 the Caravan organized its second mission, gathering and delivering children vaccines and educational material to the war zone of Serajevo.

The war raged on in Bosnia and the news that reached the Greek Caravan of Solidarity was tragic. There were thousands of orphaned children and refugees, lacking the means to survive with, whilst international humanitarian aid was minimal.

So the Caravan implemented the “financial adoption of orphaned children” program. In October 1995, representatives of the Caravan visited Bosnia, created records of the orphaned children and collaborated with the local authorities for the coordination of the program and the method for delivering the funds to the beneficiaries. Immediately after that, the Caravan started a campaign to inform the Greek public of this new program.

The response of the Greek people to that program was touching. People of all ages and incomes, mainly simple employees, pensioners, students and pupils from all parts of Greece, embraced and helped the orphaned children of the neighboring country. Enormous was also the response of Greeks who live abroad, as well as foreign nationals who live in Greece. In a very short while more than 1,300 orphaned children had been “adopted”.

Subsequent mission of the Caravan’s representatives to that area, concentrated on delivering the funds to the beneficiaries and on collecting information on new orphaned children from other regions, in order to include them in the program.

The program in Bosnia lasted for 6 years (1995-2000). The Caravan’s representatives visit more than 60 cities and villages, under extremely adverse and dangerous conditions, delivering in person the funds to the guardians of approximately 11,000 orphaned children.

The financial assistance, which is provided via the Caravan to the families of the orphaned children, contributes in a decisive manner to dealing with vital problems, as it is the only financial assistance that reaches those areas and prevents many fatherless families from being torn apart.

Apart from providing financial assistance to the families participating in its program, the Greek Caravan of Solidarity also provides moral support. The interpersonal, human relationships that were created among the Greek donors and the members of the ‘adopted’ child’s family, were particularly moving and some of them remain strong to date.

YUGOSLAVIA

The Greek Caravan of Solidarity, decided to take action in Yugoslavia, following the NATO bombings on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, in Spring of 1999.

The Caravan undertook its first mission there during the bombing raids in Belgrade, delivering food and medical supplies (incubators, hem dialysis equipment and medication) to two hospitals and one orphanage.

Furthermore, in collaboration with “Amalia Fleming” hospital, the Caravan organized 4 blood donation sessions to cover the needs of hospitals in Yugoslavia.

In early 2000 it inaugurated a program of financial “adoption” for children who were left orphaned and/or crippled on account of the bombings. In collaboration with the Yugoslavian Ministry of Providence, the Caravan gathered the particulars of 2,500 orphaned children and organized their support.

The Yugoslavia program lasted 5 years (2000 – 2004). During that time, Caravan representatives visited more than 40 towns and villages to deliver financial aid to the guardians of more than 2,500 orphaned children, 500 of which reside in Kosovo areas.

The missions to bomb-ridden Serbia, were a shocking experience for the Caravan volunteers who participated in them. Apart from orphans, they also met crippled children-victims of the bombings, and infants suffering from disfiguring conditions, resulting from depleted uranium “smart” bombs. They also met thousands of refugee families from regions of Bosnia and Kosovo, who were experiencing, for the second time in a few years, the tragic consequences of a war who was supposedly over. Those families had lost one or both parents and were now left homeless and essentially countryless. The only means those people had to prove they existed, were temporary refugee identity cards. The following characteristic phrase comes from a letter written by the mother of an orphaned child to their Greek donor: “Nowadays, human life is the least valuable commodity around these parts”.

PALESTINE

After the great success of the financial “adoption” programs for the orphans of Bosnia, Serbia and Kosovo, the Greek Caravan of Solidarity, initiated in Spring of 2002 a new humanitarian aid program for the orphaned children in Palestine. This new program started with the orphans of the destroyed city of Jenin. It was named Al Dourra, after the Palestinian father, who was seen on television to embrace his little son, in order to protect him with his own body against Israeli gunfire. In the end, the child was killed and the father heavily injured. The Caravan collaborated with the Palestinian Embassy in Athens, the Greek Consulate in Jerusalem and Association of Greek Women of Palestine, to gather information on the orphaned children and also to organize the mission for the delivery of the financial aid to the guardians of the children.

The first mission of the Caravan took place in May of 2003 and covered all major Palestinian cities (Jenin, Bethlehem, Nablus, Kalantia, Ramallah). The program in Palestine lasted 3 years (2002 – 2005) and provided financial assistance to almost 650 orphaned children.

SRI LANKA

 At the end of 2004 many SE Asia countries were hit by an enormous natural disaster, that shocked the whole world. Tsunami, a natural phenomenon, unknown to most of us, became a tragic reality to the residents of those areas. Thousands of dead, injured and homeless people, as well as orphans, were added to the many problems, those poor countries already had.

The Greek Caravan of Solidarity could not remain indifferent in the face of that catastrophe. It appealed to the Greek citizens through the Press, and also to existing and former donors, in order to collect funds. A bank account was immediately set up at the National Bank for this purpose. In collaboration with local authorities the Caravan compiled a list with orphaned children, whose particulars were forwarded to Greek donors.

This new program of the Greek Caravan of Solidarity begun in January of 2006 and focused on orphaned children in Sri Lanka. Caravan representatives visited the area and offered almost 60,000 USD to 183 orphaned children. That money had been raised by the Federation of Tax Office Employees, employees of the Coalition Political party and by individual offers from friends of the Caravan.

Taking into account the living standards of Sri Lanka, the aid offered by the Caravan to the families of that country was enormous. As an indication, the sum of 300 USD that was given to each child, could support its entire family for 6-9 months. The program in Sri Lanka is ongoing. The details of children that have been added to the program can be found at the Caravan’s offices, awaiting donors.

GREEK CARABAN OF SOLIDARITY - PROGRAMS