More than a job – A warm embrace for refugees

Every day at the UNHCR Protection Hub, located inside the Closed Controlled Access Centre on Lesvos, Greece, Toulina, Evangelia and France open their arms to asylum-seekers and refugees looking for help.

The three women are part of the broader UNHCR team that operates across Greece with the financial support of the European Union, providing crucial aid to refugees and asylum-seekers residing there, and direct them to other actors for legal, psychosocial and medical support.

“Every day, we encounter extraordinary stories of individuals who were forced to flee their homelands because of war, violence, or the imminent threat to themselves and their families,” says Toulina, who gives us a glimpse into her daily life.

Toulina was UNHCR’s first hire on Lesvos in 2010. But her engagement with the refugee cause goes back nearly twenty years. With a background in law and social anthropology, Toulina channelled her expertise towards providing legal support to refugees from the very beginning.

“I never aspired to be a lawyer in the conventional sense. I wanted to follow the humanitarian path, so providing legal aid and working with UNHCR was a dream come true for me. It’s far more than a job; it’s an integral part of my identity,” she says.

France was born in France to a Syrian father who had studied Medicine in Greece, and a French mother. Growing up, she spent many years in Greece, oblivious to the challenges that refugees endure, until she experienced them first-hand.

In 2010, she moved to Egypt with her Syrian husband, just months before the outbreak of the war in Syria. Unforeseen political turbulence in 2013 forced France to leave Egypt, together with her new-born son, in search of safety and security in Europe. Unfortunately, her husband could not join them as he lacked the documents that would allow him to travel. France was shocked.

“I had never grasped the significance of a passport. Up until then, I believed that we were all free to travel”, she reflects. Despite her optimistic and dynamic nature, she was always sad during that period because of the separation.

“Our entire life is inside suitcases. Even to this day, I keep three suitcases ready, as I always feel the looming possibility that the situation could repeat itself. We could all become refugees in an instant” says France, emphasizing repeatedly that what she experienced could happen to anyone.

Following many ups and downs, France eventually managed to settle in Greece alongside her husband and their son. Motivated by her own experience as a refugee, she decided to help others navigating similar paths. In 2016, she took on the role of focal point for gender-based violence issues with UNHCR, on Lesvos.

In collaboration with local authorities and the non-governmental organization Diotima, France works with refugee women to raise awareness about their rights, but also about gender-based violence and human trafficking.

 

One of these women is Roya* from Afghanistan, who arrived on the island in May 2023. In her homeland, she served in the army, but had to flee fearing for her own life. Although she now feels safe, her concern for the perils women face worldwide persists. She herself is a survivor of gender-based violence, which she experienced during the journey.

“Unfortunately, gender-based violence affects all women, all people, irrespective of whether they are refugees or not, or where they come from” says France and she continues by offering words of encouragement: “It is crucial that we, as women, extend our support to each other.”

Another woman who sought assistance from the Protection team is Shebo* from Iran. Having received two negative decisions on her asylum application, she found herself in a state of despair when she reached out to UNHCR. There, she met Evangelia, who referred her to legal and psychosocial support. Shebo’s well-founded case for fleeing her country was re-examined, and she was eventually recognized as a refugee.

Evangelia vividly recalls their first encounter. She remembers the nervousness and anxiety Shebo exhibited back then, and how remarkable her recovery is today.

“I’m proud of her, she’s a very strong woman and a source of inspiration for me” says Evangelia.

“Refugee life is far from easy, especially for a woman. I have endured countless instances of violence and experienced profound pain. But now, having received asylum, I feel so good, and I can plan my future” says Shebo, as she tightly hugs Evangelia.

Just three months after she joined UNHCR in 2015, and while refugee flows on Lesvos were increasing daily, she asked to be transferred to Skala Sykamias and Molyvos, northern Lesvos, on the frontline of support for people just arriving.

“Our contact with refugees may have only been for a few hours, but it was crucial. The moment they arrived, you could see their reactions: people dropping to their knees and kissing the ground, grateful to have made it alive.”recalls Evangelia.

The operational readiness of the team was crucial because they could be called upon to respond to incidents at any time. The three UNHCR staff members describe the response to the shipwrecks they were tasked to manage, the support to survivors and the injured, but also the deceased individuals they saw before their eyes.

“I never thought that I would be able to cope with such pressure. In such situations, you confront your own self and have to draw on your strength. You find yourself doing things you never imagined were within your reach.” says Evangelia.

“We are constantly on alert. The burden of responsibility is immense because human lives are involved. For a brief moment, we become fellow travellers on the journey of those seeking refuge and safety, who, despite the tragic circumstances that brought them here, are determined to fight for a better life.” says Toulina.

However, all three women emphasise that amidst the challenges they face, there are also beautiful moments in their work.

“We must focus on the positive. The hardship we encounter makes us appreciate what we have, while the uplifting moments are what motivate us to continue.” Evangelia reflects. She recounts a particular year when, on her birthday, she met with the survivors of a shipwreck.

“They told me that on that very day, they wanted to celebrate their own birthdays as well, because they escaped death, and were somehow reborn. Since then, every year on that special day, we exchange birthday wishes.”

Refugees’ resilience in overcoming the challenges they faced and their unwavering determination to hold onto hope, serves as a profound source of inspiration for UNHCR staff.

“You find yourself reflecting on your own life, identifying the true problems and what truly matters, and that propels you to move forward in a profoundly different manner” Toulina says.

France further observes that the arrival of refugees on Lesvos has contributed to fostering a sense of diversity on the island.

“Change takes time, and with time, we get to know each other. People have grown closer, forging friendships, love connections, marriages, and even families,” says France before she enters the room for another meeting with individuals who have undergone difficult situations and who find hope in her.

*Names have been changed for protection reasons.

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Ελληνικά

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