Updates!!
This week has seen more success at the OADW where we continue with the bulk of our work. We have added another 407 beneficiaries in 4 operational days, taking our total to 2255 people! We have now been open for 30 days and have managed to distribute 48142 individual items ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️to the people we serve: underwear, towels, socks, shoes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, sun cream,soap, shampoo, shower gel, toys, nappies, wet wipes and of course clothes. We have been slowly accepting more committed volunteers and hope to soon be able to increase both the number of people we serve each day as well as the number of days and hours we are open. The new volunteers have added much needed energy and power to the team and this is only possible with their help. We couldn’t be more grateful.
In our main warehouse, the arrival of new volunteers has allowed us to check, sort, and size many more donations. We have been able to tidy up the warehouse, and prepare for the arrival of donations that will be coming on pallets and in containers in the coming weeks!
We have been able to reopen our locals shop, supporting others living on Chios and in addition to all of this we were able to support other organisations.
To the IRIS centre, we gave 300 tubes of toothpaste, 1 baby pram, 7380 sanitary towels, 120 hand creams, 183 deodorants, 165 shaving foams, 24 bottles of hand wash, 5 packs of adult diapers, 50 sample size bottles of washing lotion, 210 sample size bottles of deodorant, and 4774 diapers!!
To ARSIS, we we gave 15 packs of diapers and 6 pairs of shoes.
To Engage, we gave 70 school folders.
In addition to this, we were also able to carry out 3 emergency distributions. One was a baby basket containing many needed supplies for a new born baby; the others where changes of clothes, blankets, and sleeping bags, for 2 cases of skin infection referral project.
We have begun a new cooperation project with SMHwith whom we have had a long history of cooperation with. Due to the close living conditions of the reception centre there are often problems with skin complaints which, if left untreated, can be extremely unpleasant and uncomfortable; especially in the summer heat. In order to try to alleviate suffering of the most severe cases we have implemented a referral system, coupled with medical treatment, to ensure that those identified and affected can receive emergency supplies and changes of bedding to prevent reinfections. Although small in number, and limited to only the most severe cases, these distributions cover an extensive level of personal needs including shelter, bedding, and an entire change of clothes. We hope to continue this new system indefinitely but our warehouse stock will quickly be diminished. We will be relying even more on the arriving donations and supplies to provide relief in new ways.
There have been no reported arrivals on the island and we are still making sure not only that we are adapting to the new normal but also standing ready to respond in an emergency as we have done since the beginning of the crisis.
Our team on the ground are working so hard to operationalise and instrumentalist your donations and support. We not only need this to distribute, but it is also a great source of energy to know you are all behind us. Thank you for your time, your energy, your support and your donations in whatever form they come. We will continue making the organisation a success for our beneficiaries and for you, our supporters. We will carry on looking ahead and ensuring we are best placed to help meet the needs of the population and how we can deliver on your trust in us.❤️❤️
We at Offene Arme e.V. want to extend a huge thank you to everyone that has applied to volunteer with us! We have been a very small core team for a long time, and knowing we still have such strong global support is amazing!
We are getting through emails as quickly as we can and are super excited to have our team begin to grow again!
If you would like to join our team, please email us at cesrt@offenearme.org and we will get back to you with information on volunteering as quickly as we can!❤️❤️❤️
