City Hope reaches Greece-Macedonia border
The relief mission team from Durban-based City Hope has arrived in Idomeni near the border between Greece and Macedonia.
Ockie van Heerden and his team have been joined by another aid worker from Canada on their mission to provide aid to refugees who are hoping to get to other parts of Europe after fleeing wars in their countries.
They say about 2000 refugees are at the border and being accommodated in tents that have been set up by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
City Hope's Ockie van Heereden says the refugees are made up of people mostly from Syria, but that there are those from Afghanistan and other countries as well.
Volunteers are on hand distributing food and clothing to them as they face uncertainty about their future.
Earlier, the City Hope team was told by some refugees in Greece that it's almost impossible to make the trip to Europe without going through dangerous routes controlled by people smugglers.
They also spoke to Sofia Zuja who has worked with Syrian refugees in the country.
"Smugglers are everywhere, it's really hard. You can't even get a train ticket without going through the smugglers. Refugees can get on the train for 30 euros, but they have to go through the smugglers. And it's the same from Turkey, because they can buy a boat for R300 euros but they are not selling boats to them there because the smugglers are organising everything," she said.
Zuja says many refugees are forced to choose dangerous travel options, as they don't have the required visas.
If you would like to get involved, visit the City Hope Disaster Relief website at www.cityhope.co.za.
(Photos: Ockie van Heerden/City Hope)