Frequently asked quastions and collection tips

What is Boat Refugee Foundation and what does it do?

Boat Refugee Foundation is an organisation working for humane and fair treatment of people on the move seeking safety and refuge in Europe. We do this by providing essential medical and psychosocial care to people on the move at Europe's borders (currently in Greece), and we contribute to humane reception and living conditions for people on the move, through collaboration, local advocacy and capacity strengthening of local organisations. We also contribute to fair and practicable migration and asylum policy, through advocacy in collaboration with Dutch and European partners.

 

What is the current situation on Lesvos? 

The number of people in Mavrovouni refugee camp on Lesvos is about 3,000 at the end of April 2024. A significant decrease since the beginning of the year when over 5,500 people were staying in the camp: in a short time, many people have been transferred to camps on the mainland or their asylum claims have been fast-tracked, in an attempt to create space in the camp for the larger numbers of people who will be arriving again as summer approaches. The number of boats arriving is starting to increase rapidly. We are currently seeing about 80 patients in our clinic every night. Boat Refugee Foundation is currently the only organisation providing primary and emergency medical and psychological care in the camp. Many other humanitarian organisations have had to stop their work due to a lack of funding. In the past year, more essential care such as care for the chronically ill and psychiatric care has disappeared. This makes the demand on the care we provide even greater.

 

There are problems with food supply, there has been no hot water since last summer and sanitation facilities are closed or broken, the camp is getting fuller and there is a huge demand for both medical and psychosocial care.

 

Why this fundraising campaign?

The medical and psychological care we provide to the thousands of people on Lesvos is needed unabated. If we have to stop our work, thousands of people will have no one to turn to for the care they so desperately need. Current developments in Europe and also in Greece offer little prospect of improvement. We are making every effort to continue to provide the help that is needed. For this, in addition to the indispensable commitment of our team and the many volunteer professionals who make this possible, we need funds. 

 

This is why we are launching this fundraising campaign. We know that there is huge fundraising potential in the networks of our volunteers, donors and other people engaged with the work we do. The fundraising campaign in 2023, in which over 120 volunteers and others who care about the work we do mobilised their own networks to give, raised over €87,000. With your help, we know we can do the same this year and give a much needed big boost to the care we provide every day at our clinic in Mavrovouni refugee camp!

We, like other organisations working to support people on the move in Greece and other European border countries, are experiencing an increasing challenge in raising the necessary funds. It seems as if not only politicians but also many people in the Netherlands and Europe have come to see the situation at Europe's borders as an unavoidable emergency, or something we can just ignore. As long as all investments continue to go towards closing and ‘protecting’ Europe’s borders ever more hermetically, at the expense of human lives, nothing will change. And our work will continue to be needed. With increasing numbers of people arriving and the supply of aid disappearing, our work is needed more than ever. And for that, we need a substantial financial injection. That is why we are now appealing to our volunteers and loyal supporters to help us raise the necessary funds to continue our much-needed work. 

 

What is the funding used for?

We do our work with as minimal resources as possible. The efforts of professional volunteers: doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers and support crew, are at the heart of our care. But there are still necessary costs. Firstly, equipment and supplies: the mobile clinic and medical supplies, medication, the locations where psychological consultations and training take place, and transport and accommodation for the team of volunteers. We also work with a small team of coordinators on site, who ensure continuity, coordination and adaptation of service provision where necessary or when the demand for care changes, coordination with local authorities (such as the management of the refugee camp) and other, local and international, (humanitarian) organisations. From the Netherlands, we ensure that we continue to comply with the increasingly complex laws and regulations in Greece, guarantee the quality and relevance of the care we provide, advocate for the interests of people on the move at the European level and in the Netherlands, coordinate with partner organisations in the field and ensure communication and raising the necessary funds.

 

From when to when does the fundraiser run? 

The fundraising campaigns runs from 1 June to 7 June 2024. But even after that, it is still possible to share your donation page and donate.

 

Collection tips and tricks 

1. From experience, we know that sharing your donation page via WhatsApp generates the most donations. To do so, view your donation page on your mobile phone and click on the WhatsApp logo to share your page.
2. Have you shared your donation page in a WhatsApp group? Send a short reminder after a few days. Thank those who donate within the same group. Good example follows good practice.
3. Share your donation page on social media, such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, to reach a broad network. On your donation page, click on the LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter logo to easily share it on your social media. From experience, we know that sharing your donation page on LinkedIn often generates the highest amounts. 
4. Did you know that your network can also share your donation page? Ask them to donate ánd share your donation page. That way, you will reach even more people!
5. Make sure you always have your collection box at hand on your smartphone or by printing your QR code. This way you can raise donations anytime, anywhere. The button to download your QR code can be found on the page of your collection box.
6. After a donation, the donor can indicate that his/her/them details may be shared with the collector. In that case, you will receive an email with the donor's details so you can thank him/her/them personally.