Format - Series

Help us live

Peaceful protest

I could hardly sleep from excitement because my first day as a doctor in the clinic of "Better days for Moria" was just around the corner. All I knew was, that I was going to work in the unofficial camp…

Read more

Ending photo of a successful event

Global volunteering day

Last Saturday "Volunteers for Peace Vietnam" (VPV), whom I am privileged to number among, hosted the "Global Volunteering Day 2016", together with other institutions. More than 20 countries and numerous organizations each prepared booths, where games and samples of local…

Read more

Lifejacket Graveyard 2

Life jacket graveyard

After I had reasonably recovered from the previous night, I decided to have a "day off" and explore the island. [caption id="attachment_898" align="alignnone" width="805"] Molyvos[/caption] My first goal was to go to Molyvos, a small village in the island’s northern…

Read more

University for industry, Hanoi (HaUI), in a classroom

I am happy it was not just a dream

It's Saturday night. I've settled in well in the VPV House, rejoicing every single day over the excellent food prepared twice daily for us volunteers. In general, it consists of rice and a variety of  pots of vegetables, meat and…

Read more

boat with refugees and coastguard

South coast patrolling

This rainy night, "South coast patrolling" was once more the word. I packed my things and drove to the meeting point. Once there, we were divided into three different bases. We were sent to "Lasia", along with other volunteers from…

Read more

BDFM - Better days for Moria

Better days for Moria

https://www.idealismprevails.at/en/at-the-port-of-lesbos/ My last article " At the port of Lesbos " (note the link above) ended by spending all night in my car. This is what happened afterwards : First experience with the BDFM = Better days for Moria The…

Read more

00_IamHereBecausIcare_by_THOMAS_FARTHOFER_CCBYSA40

I am here because I care!

The idea to help out in one of the poorest countries of the world through voluntary work with children, has been occupying me for almost three years. I therefore did not know what exactly to expect, when I applied with…

Read more

Mytilini - Lesbos, March 2016

At the port of Lesbos

On the very same day, after the arrival of the boat, I mentioned before, I went to "Attica" - which is one of the warehouses , where all donations, clothes, shoes, strollers, tents etc. are kept. I crammed my car…

Read more

Arrival of the boat - Katja base - Lesbos

My first assignment

Since I needed to recover from the long journey, I slept through the second night and turned up for deployment at 09:00pm. Towards midnight I was notified of a boat heading for ‘Katja’, south of the airport. When I arrived…

Read more

The First day – Here We Go!

On the day of my arrival, the action started that same evening. Along with a team of Spanish lifeguards, we went to the beach at 11 p.m., where it was our task to survey the southern coast. Most boats plan…

Read more

Journey: Italy – Greece

In late February I finally set forth on my journey to Greece. I boarded a train from South Tyrol (Italy) on Monday, 29th of February at 5am and arrived in Lesbos on Tuesday, 1st of March at 2pm. It was…

Read more