Adventists in Greece Continue Leading Relief Efforts in Four Refugee Camps

From ANN, May 18, 2016:    The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in the Inter-European Division of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination (EUD) is leading the humanitarian services in four refugee camps close to Katerini, Greece. One camp in the northern region of Thessaloniki houses nearly 1,500 people, including more than 500 children, while the remaining three camps in the region have up to 400 occupants. ADRA is the humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.

The projects are related to health, water and sanitation, and distribution of supplementary food. ADRA is also providing psychosocial support, child care and translation services.

Although the agency doesn’t have an office in Greece and had to create, from the ground up, its own administrative headquarters and resources in the territory, ADRA is committed to creating long-term solutions for the refugees by purchasing housing containers instead of tents and setting up an educational system for school-aged children.

“We think that these people will have to stay longer in Greece than they expect, so the intervention will be longer than it was before,” shares Joao Martins, director, ADRA EUD.

Overall, the agency is grateful for the support from the government and local churches as well as the acceptance of the refugees.

“ADRA EUD is present, we have an important project. We are dealing with individuals who have lost everything and are just looking for a safer environment in which to raise their children.”

Adventist News Network (ANN) is the official news service of the denomination’s world headquarters in Washington, DC. Featured image: Refugee camp in Greece. Photo credit: ANN/ADRA Europe.