In January 2018 after seeing a facebook advert looking for female volunteers I headed to Thessaloniki, in Northern Greece to volunteer at a new multi cultural centre - Irida - that had just opened for refugee women and children. Most of these women had come from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine fleeing for their lives with their children. Most are traumatisied and are slowly rebuilding their lives.

I had enough money to fund myself for a month. However after staying there for this duration I realized how neccesary my services were and therefore decided that I wanted to return this time for a full year.

At the centre I offered reflexology and hand massages aswell as body work . I supported other volunteers with what they were processing aswell as supporting the women and young children. The situation for pregnant refugees giving birth in Greece warrants its own blog but suffice it to say that my work in this area helped the soon to be mothers greatly.

Irida website: https://intervolvegr.com/our-projects/multicultural-womens-centre/#jp-carousel-2388