3/14/2016 Gabriela Garver, 22, USA, 6 days with Better Days for Moria. Cooked, handed out tea, worked night shift (1-9:30am). Positive experience! I felt very useful. I know my work was only a drop in the ocean, but I still felt I contributed. I would return and encourage others to do so, as well. If anything, next time I would try to camp close to the work site, rather than stay in a hotel. After I left, I felt the time was much too short! Also burdened by what I experienced, and how little we understand it in the US. I was able to process well with my teammates, since I came on a team of 4. We used the debrief guide we found online through Euro Relief's website. Recommendations to the teams/organizations on the Island: Better Days has an amazing volunteer system going! We were amazed how well everything keeps running, despite turnover of key leadership as volunteers come and go. Future volunteers: Make sure you take care of yourself! Most of our team got sick, undoubtedly with things the refugees perpetually deal with. Make sure to rest enough, bring meds and vitamins and practice strict hygiene. Also, consider working night shift! They're always in need of night shift volunteers, and I found it to be a great job. You don't have as much interaction with refugees, but it's a chance to serve the whole camp and other volunteers. Once we got into the sleep schedule, it really wasn't too bad.

After 5 weeks in Nea Kavala and 2 weeks in Lesvos, i definitely recommend volunteering with Drop in the Ocean, it’s a very well run NGO, donations used well, there is a great emphasis on volunteers, coordinators are well trained and coached, and volunteers are great. But the experience was very different in both locations and i recommend you do some research on what is happening on Lesvos before you apply, so you choose the location that best suits your expectations and desires. 

• in NK, DIO is present in the camp and offers services such as food distribution, bike rental, laundry, etc. It’s very well organised and smooth.  You will get to know the residents. 
• In Lesvos, DIO is starting its operations, the focus is on night shifts (patrolling) and helping a Greek couple with their project (now mainly helping to manage clothes’ donations and giving English lessons). I had much more free time to explore what was going on on the island than when in NK. You will not be in/close to Moria, and contacts with residents are more limited.
• There is a lot happening on Lesvos, many different organisations are present, conditions for residents are very tough. Be prepared... 

Well - I have just returned home to Australia from my first volunteering stint in Athens - at Mosaico House. I have to pinch myself - did I just live this amazing experience? Did I just get to meet and work with the amazing bunch of people who run this show? So selfless and caring - the wonderfully devoted and dedicated Anthi and Farida - I miss you and MH so much already! I miss the kids’ cartwheels, the futbol games in the ‘park’, paint and glue from one end of the place to the other! I even miss the rules – ‘no going into the cupboard’ with an orchestrated stern look and voice, the click-clacking of knitting needles, beads and baubles threaded with meticulous precision to make  beautiful bracelets.
Those little (and not so little) ankle-biters and their mums, who, metaphorically and literally, worm their way into one’s heart - memory forever inked with their hope, courage and tenacity. I arrived bearing small gifts of paper, pens and pictures but left with a treasure-trove of hugs and smiles and love and laughter. Priceless.
Sure we had our moments – fights about who wasn’t cleaning up, who had more stickers, or who got the pink lollypop and who was stuck with the icky green one. Tears over taking toys,  stubborn stitches, knotted knitting, ruined Rembrandts. Just like any family – but that’s what is special about MH – it is ‘family’. Where, despite the rough and tumble of the day, everyone pitches in and looks out for each other.
I also miss the inimitable united nations of volunteers, holding me spellbound with their enthusiasm, their endless ideas and incredible imaginations. We were like mother hens – sharing our pride and awe at what ‘our kids’ had achieved that day, or our worries and concerns when things hadn’t gone so well.
Some volunteers had attitude, others had know-how, most made me laugh. We shared our backgrounds, our culture, our knowledge, and though our paths may have crossed ever so briefly, we have forged a common bond that will endure – in some cases perhaps only symbolically, but in other circumstances, for a lifetime.
Inshallah I will return – until then, I hope others will also be fortunate enough to live and breathe, if even only for a few unforgettable weeks, the house of Mosaico.
Jill O’Connor

About me: 

My name is Buri Ganbat, 23 years old. German architecture student, trying to figure out what kind of work is fun and gives back something to people. 

My previous experience in volunteering with refugees and working field of design:

I always did volunteering primarily out of curiosity for the job and the organisation. Most of the volunteering work was about helping out displaced persons in accompanying to different kind of appointments (translation in offices, hospital) and helping out in learning a new language. Taking care of a displaced persons can get you involved in different kind of situations and emotions. The experience showed that it is best to come always with sympathy and good knowledge about the persons ethnical and social background and have a deep understanding for all sides of arguments. But in many situations it was just best to mitigate the arguments instantly. My experience showed that sometimes arguments caused by ethnical background could not be solved at all. From my previous working experience in the architectural field I felt anxiety and some kind of negative awareness towards the relationship between the employer and employee because it showed that often there´s a hierarchy which led to misuse of power. It could lead up to situation where you would just do boring work or be pressured to be in time. 

What had you hoped to get out of your time volunteering at ODD? 

I hoped to learn a lot about projects which would give me an insight into the struggles and chances of working with displaced persons. Without really being conscious about it I probably hoped for some positiveness in volunteering and in designing that I somehow lost during my last experiences and during my studies. 

Did you get what you hoped out of your experience?

Yes, I got so much more than anything than I expected. I received so much encouragement and love, and especially a lot of good vibration. This was so much more than I ever had received from any kind of work. The team leaders let me choose how I wanted to approach the project and helped me in the beginning in a very creative and abstract way when I found myself stuck with details. This was a very mind freeing and inspiring experience for me through out the whole volunteering time. To formulate my own ideas in an abstract and positive way and imagining where it could lead to, but also knowing that it is good enough at the moment to not know how the outcome looks like. This was a method which lifted a lot of pressure for me for the whole work and made it absolutely every day fun to anticipate the future. Shareen, Delanay and Kimberley were always very considerate and kind to me and open for every kind of my ideas. It was a very warm and loving atmosphere to work with the team as they took every kind of insecurities away from me. On a daily basis there were small discussions when someone noticed something interesting and wanted to share these things with the others which led to the very light and fresh atmosphere in the office I mentioned earlier. It was the safest working environment I´ve ever been when it comes to feeling complete empathy, complete understanding, and complete love, no matter what. 

ODD also practiced a non-violence policy on every one who was involved with our projects. It didn´t matter if it was also done in a playful and “harmless” way by young displaced persons during one of the drawing sessions. The team members took it serious and made clear that the slightest act of doing harm can´t be trivialised which made me realise that the team´s core value was respect for each other. Which is one more reason to love ODD. They treat everyone equally. 

My perspective about architecture shifted from a some sort blind alley hopelessness due to my previous experiences from my internship and study to some sort of positive realism. 

Often the team engaged themselves with the participants of projects in discussions about difficult topics. No one was pretending to know what was morally correct or wrong or tried to impose their own opinion on someone. It was sincere interest and sympathy of the team in the problems of the people who lived in the camps and worked on the island which opened up to interesting questions and also to moments of rethinking the situation of the others. And most of all this attitude showed that it is best to give everyone time to adapt and learn out of their new situation.

What did I learn from working with ODD? 

Primarily the motto of the ODD was to formulate anything you wanted to say or ask in a positive way which caused me to change my attitude towards everything related to the project or anything that came on my mind. I would like to thank Shareen, Delaney and Kimberley for sharing this mindset with me. It gave a much more better outlook on the future. And I will be forever grateful for them for this opportunity they kindly gave me. I learned how to approach my project in an abstract way and that it is okay to not know where it will lead you. What I learned was that you can turn an actually pretty dry and boring task to a beautiful and mind fulfilling project for everyone. It was the question of how the abstract idea was realised which made the important difference at the end. Also I learned that there is no prepared path to go in the fields of design. As long as you are convinced that design can change something, a tiny room, or even the living condition of an entire group of people, it can lead you to refreshing unexplored fields in life. And what I learned was that love, honesty and curiosity which came from the firm belief in everyone´s uniqueness can lead to a warm and nice atmosphere to work. 

I recommend anyone who is interested in working with humans who care sincerily for others and their own work to join ODD. 

I previously provided feedbak for InterVolve but thought I could add some more to highlight just how special this organization was to me. I spent close to a month with the team near Larissa back in May. Prior to heading over I had an opportinity to Skype with Tracey so both of us could see how well I fit into the teams. Initially we both had some reservations since my expertise is medicine, construction and logisitics and they were looking for folks with a more social/education type background. Once we communicated and got to know each other the rest was easy. While in Larissa and on the team I could see my fit as a handyman, logisitcs expert, driver, and just about anything else they threw at me. I also had many opportunties to work (play really) with the refugees, childrens and other organizations. It was one of the most wonderful times of my life because of the people. The InterVolve staff and other volunteers accepted me and my skills into the mission and helped broaden me to where I can help them immediately next time I head over, which is Jan 2018. 

To set the record straight.

"During my time in Lesvos they disrupted all good happening around them and annoyed everyone they came in contact with."

This is incorrect. We established numerous long lasting friendships with volunteers and refugees to this day, and continue to work with those we met at present, in a most friendly and rewarding manner.

"Everyone was really glad when they left,or should i say banned from the camp."

This is incorrect. I left on good terms with Aris and the camp, at the end of my term on my own volition. Only after I left, I filed my complaints with Stavros and the Ministry, resulting in a series of interviews with other volunteers having similar extremely negative experiences with Aris, resulting in LATRA being expelled from the camp.

"Eric and MB were just plain lazy who came for tourism rather than voluneering and helping out."

This is incorrect. We worked morning to late night - in the camp, and other locations, and were given praise by Aris as well as volunteers and other NGOs at Kara Tepe.  We were engaged, and remain engaged, in numerous other refugee projects in Lesvos, Athens and beyond.

LATRA INNOVATION LAB (aka LATRA) should not be involved in managing volunteers, or be around refugees as they create dangerous situations, as per the numerous reports from us and other volunteers. This is the reason they were expelled from Kara Tepe by the Ministry on Lesvos.

To set the record straight

"During my time in Lesvos they disrupted all good happening around them and annoyed everyone they came in contact with."

This is incorrect. We established numerous long lasting friendships with volunteers and refugees to this day, and continue to work with those we met at present, in a most friendly and rewarding manner.

"Everyone was really glad when they left,or should i say banned from the camp."

This is incorrect. I left on good terms with Aris and the camp, at the end of my term on my own volition. Only after I left, I filed my complaints with Stavros and the Ministry, resulting in a series of interviews with other volunteers having similar extremely negative experiences with Aris, resulting in LATRA being expelled from the camp.

"Eric and MB were just plain lazy who came for tourism rather than voluneering and helping out."

This is incorrect. We worked morning to late night - in the camp, and other locations, and were given praise by Aris as well as volunteers and other NGOs at Kara Tepe.  We were engaged, and remain engaged, in numerous other refugee projects in Lesvos, Athens and beyond.

LATRA should not be involved in managing volunteers, or be around refugees as they create dangerous situations, as per the numerous reports from us and other volunteers. This is the reason they were expelled from Kara Tepe by the Ministry on Lesvos.

A container of things has already been gathered, and is meant to be distributed by H4H

Here is the Danish text from the Facebook collection page

"På Lesbos har vores fælles venner Rafat Al-hamoud og Neda Kadri lavet deres egen nødhjælpsorganisation. Humans 4 Humanity.

Den græske ø er ét af pejlemærkerne, når flygtninge prøver at krydse Middelhavet. Medierne er (igen) holdt op med at dække de mange forlis. 22. september fandt det sidste sted. 43 overlevede, 39 druknede. Rafat og Neda tager imod de, der klarer den. Giver dem mad, tøj og nyt mod.

For blot tre år siden var syriske Rafat selv lige ankommet til Hjørring Asylcenter. Hans egen tilknytning til Lesbos opstod, da han modtog et telefonopkald. Han blev fortalt, at han havde familiemedlemmer, der lige var gået ned med et skib. Skæbne ukendt. Ud for Lesbos. Rafat rejste derned med det samme.

Også Rafat mødte midt i smerten og sorgen kærligheden på ny. Neda havde fra sin hjemby Dearborn i USA fulgt med på de sociale medier. Her lagde Rafat fortvivlet billeder ud af sine kære i håbet om, at de ved et mirakel havde klaret sig i land. Det havde de ikke. Da Neda kunne læse, at Rafat nu selv stod foran at skulle begrave sine familiemedlemmer, fordi der hverken var en kirke eller en gravplads til rådighed, valgte hun at hjælpe ham. Med just det. En begravelse. Hun fløj ham i møde. Efter gerningen kunne de hverken slippe hinanden eller øen.

Lige siden har Neda og Rafat sat alle vågne timer ind på at bistå de utallige flygtninge, der uagtet mediernes fravær, vedbliver at søge mod Lesbos. Ofte med katastrofalt resultat.

Jesper og Marion ønsker at fylde en hel container. Lad os hjælpe dem med det! For helt ærligt … har I nogensinde hørt om et skibsforlis og en ballonoperation i hjertet, der på samme måde har bragt fire mennesker sammen? Jeg har ikke.

Men I guder hvor jeg elsker, at de har fundet hinanden.

De fire lys midt i mørket! <3"

Dear Community, following my recent visit in Lesvos, I would like to share my deep concerns for the organisation going by the name Humans 4 Humanity. Having followed their facebook page and the fundraisers they run, myself and my family were very excited to visit the so-called "house of humanity 2". Unfortunatelly the place proved to be a little more than a front for an organisation that is indeed contributing very little if anything to the refugees. We then learned that for months they have been fundraising without having any significant presence in the island. Following the death of a child refugee in Lesvos, we learned that one of the founders (Rafat al Hamoud) was desperately trying to become the 'point responsible" for the burial procedure, only to utilise this for their efforts in raising funds and claiming field presence. Even more troubling is that their program manager (Mary Beth Leland) is investigated for human trafficking! The stories on the field on this particular organisation are endless, and we would encourage everyone to be very carefull when choosing organisations to donate to or support in any way. 

Lars and I (Christiane) spent the first two weeks of July as volunteers in Kara Tepe. We had signed up with Latra, because the organisation was looking for people who would be able to do child activities and help with easy construction work, that needed no special skills - also if only for the 2 weeks we had available.

During our time at Kara Tepe Lars assisted an other Organisation (Moving on the Ground) putting up shading for the living containers of the refugees. This work was valued and supported by Latra.

I organized child activities on the Kara Tepe premises. This needed some organising and creativity skills in the beginning, but we managed to get activities going and reached out to quite a few children in the camp, especially those, who were not involved in other activities yet. I was happy to hear later, that the project we started is growing and also led to the improvement of the playground on the premises. This was also organized by Latra volunteers.

Latra as an organisaton is and has been working in Kara Tepe for quite a while, finding ways to support the people staying there and improving their time spent there. In order to do this, they invite - and are trying to use - ideas and creativity of the volunteers. For the - mostly very young - volunteers this is a wonderful chance to connect to the Refugees and bring in their very own ideas. However, the developement of new ideas may sometimes need time and discussion, so this organisation might not be suited best for people, who just want to get work done. While we were there. I watched a writing workshop for girls, a playground project, a recycling project grow an new ideas developed. Unfortunately, there was some miscommunication in the group, when we arrived, but this was addressed and solved. We recommend Latra for people, who are open for knew ideas and bring in their creativity.

We can understand that some people are not completely happy with the process and do get frustrated, but this is also part of allowing new ideas and inviting everybody to contribute. The process is sometimes cumbersome and slow as it also involved attaining permission from Latra management as well as from camp management.

We have not experienced discriminating and abusive behaviour of Latra managment, which other persons have claimed to have occurred at the same time we were part of the Latra volunteer group. We have discussed a number of the personal conflicts in the entire group and have experienced Latra (and Aris specifically) to be sensitive and professional in this context.

We also enjoyed some positive group activities, organized by Latra (Aris) going to a beach or having a mutual lunch together.

Christiane Wiegels, Director of a preschool

Lars Hendrik Wiegels, Insurance Manager, both in Frankfurt, Germany

11/08/2017: k. lynch, 49, USA/Greece

30 days with LATRA in Mytilini, Lesvos collaborating with a group of women volunteers in Kara Tepe camp. This month spent in Mytilini was part of my scholarly/artistic research on African/Greek Diasporas in the Mediterranean.

LATRA is a Design and Innovation Lab in the context of a refugee camp in Lesvos. It is an open and accessible platform for artists, designers, engineers, architects, and community to collaborate. Together with three to five other volunteers, daily we designed and created stencils and motifs to paint Iso-boxes in the camp. This project had been conceived by prior volunteers and we continued their project. This project allowed us to move throughout the camp meeting many of the folks living there and other volunteers in a relaxed and congenial way. Because of the clarity of this design project young people and adults throughout the camp could participate and help paint their own boxes and those of others. This was a WONDERFUL experience. We also made a video of the process, which was edited entirely by two volunteers in the group. In addition to the stencil painting, during my month with LATRA I had the honor to collaborate with other volunteers on a creative reuse and up-cycling soap-making workshop for adult women in Kara Tepe. This workshop was proposed by one of the volunteers and then successfully developed and executed by those of us volunteering at the time. Every step of the way we received crucial feedback and support of the Director of Design & Innovation and peers in our regular meetings. Our concept note, proposal, and execution of this project were hugely successful and this was possible because of the open creative platform and attentive support of this organization.

At some point in my time volunteering, I found it difficult to collaborate with a fellow volunteer in our team. This persons’ behavior, attitude, and implicit biases towards me made it difficult for me to participate fully in the project and this conflict could not be resolved between us. Once I sought his counsel, I was grateful to the Director of Design & Innovation, Aris Papadopoulos, for his swift, direct, and compassionate approach to the situation. He informed me that LATRA has protocols for dealing with intra-volunteer conflicts and that the main objective is that we should be contributing to the humanitarian project in Lesvos and that conflict between us distracts from and diminishes the mission of the organization to ‘Build the World Better.’ Aris then called a meeting with all active volunteers to discuss the conflict and to come to some group agreements about how to proceed. In this meeting each of us had an opportunity to be heard and to listen to one another with compassion and mutual respect. Through Aris’ experience in the field and his insight, I was able to better appreciate that all of us have made a long journey to be in Lesvos and that I should not take this for granted. This perspective provided me the distance I needed to reconcile my differences with the other volunteer. From this meeting we all had to consider what we were doing in Lesvos and what was at stake, and really regroup to work collaboratively for the greater good. This was an important lesson in the learning curve of volunteering in the humanitarian sector. In this way the organization practices what it preaches – sustainability and building the world better. Because of this positive experience with LATRA I have begun to research and develop a short-term study-abroad program on migration and sustainable design for students and colleagues in Greece that would spend two weeks with LATRA in Lesvos. Without the commitment of this organization, this type of creative, community education project would not be available in the Kara Tepe camp.

Recommendations: for LATRA: Continue to follow your design goals/concepts and organizational protocols -- this is what provides a generative platform for Creatives – whether refugees or volunteers – to meet one another on solid ground and make great projects that serve the community. What impressed me the most is how serious, upbeat, knowledgeable, and committed LATRA is in their work. Very impressive.

Recommendations for Future volunteers: This is a very special platform and opportunity to build upon the projects and initiatives of fellow volunteers and people in Kara Tepe. This is not for everyone. You must be ready and willing to do unglamorous and humbling projects like painting trailers and putting up temporary shelters with grace and enthusiasm, and at the same time be ready to step up and initiate a creative project that engages with circular design, community engagement, and education. You also must be willing to collaborate with others on projects and find your distinct contribution to these creative projects within a Design and Innovation Lab framework. As volunteers with LATRA you are entrusted to continue this good work and to put your most creative self forward.

Open to be a mentor: klhomegirl@gmail.com

Yours truly,

kara lynch

Associate Professor of Video and Critical Studies

11/08/2017: k. lynch, 49, USA/Greece

30 days with LATRA in Mytilini, Lesvos collaborating with a group of women volunteers in Kara Tepe camp. This month spent in Mytilini was part of my scholarly/artistic research on African/Greek Diasporas in the Mediterranean.

LATRA is a Design and Innovation Lab in the context of a refugee camp in Lesvos. It is an open and accessible platform for artists, designers, engineers, architects, and community to collaborate. Together with three to five other volunteers, daily we designed and created stencils and motifs to paint Iso-boxes in the camp. This project had been conceived by prior volunteers and we continued their project. This project allowed us to move throughout the camp meeting many of the folks living there and other volunteers in a relaxed and congenial way. Because of the clarity of this design project young people and adults throughout the camp could participate and help paint their own boxes and those of others. This was a WONDERFUL experience. We also made a video of the process, which was edited entirely by two volunteers in the group. In addition to the stencil painting, during my month with LATRA I had the honor to collaborate with other volunteers on a creative reuse and up-cycling soap-making workshop for adult women in Kara Tepe. This workshop was proposed by one of the volunteers and then successfully developed and executed by those of us volunteering at the time. Every step of the way we received crucial feedback and support of the Director of Design & Innovation and peers in our regular meetings. Our concept note, proposal, and execution of this project were hugely successful and this was possible because of the open creative platform and attentive support of this organization.

At some point in my time volunteering, I found it difficult to collaborate with a fellow volunteer in our team. This persons’ behavior, attitude, and implicit biases towards me made it difficult for me to participate fully in the project and this conflict could not be resolved between us. Once I sought his counsel, I was grateful to the Director of Design & Innovation, Aris Papadopoulos, for his swift, direct, and compassionate approach to the situation. He informed me that LATRA has protocols for dealing with intra-volunteer conflicts and that the main objective is that we should be contributing to the humanitarian project in Lesvos and that conflict between us distracts from and diminishes the mission of the organization to ‘Build the World Better.’ Aris then called a meeting with all active volunteers to discuss the conflict and to come to some group agreements about how to proceed. In this meeting each of us had an opportunity to be heard and to listen to one another with compassion and mutual respect. Through Aris’ experience in the field and his insight, I was able to better appreciate that all of us have made a long journey to be in Lesvos and that I should not take this for granted. This perspective provided me the distance I needed to reconcile my differences with the other volunteer. From this meeting we all had to consider what we were doing in Lesvos and what was at stake, and really regroup to work collaboratively for the greater good. This was an important lesson in the learning curve of volunteering in the humanitarian sector. In this way the organization practices what it preaches – sustainability and building the world better. Because of this positive experience with LATRA I have begun to research and develop a short-term study-abroad program on migration and sustainable design for students and colleagues in Greece that would spend two weeks with LATRA in Lesvos. Without the commitment of this organization, this type of creative, community education project would not be available in the Kara Tepe camp.

Recommendations: for LATRA: Continue to follow your design goals/concepts and organizational protocols -- this is what provides a generative platform for Creatives – whether refugees or volunteers – to meet one another on solid ground and make great projects that serve the community. What impressed me the most is how serious, upbeat, knowledgeable, and committed LATRA is in their work. Very impressive.

Recommendations for Future volunteers: This is a very special platform and opportunity to build upon the projects and initiatives of fellow volunteers and people in Kara Tepe. This is not for everyone. You must be ready and willing to do unglamorous and humbling projects like painting trailers and putting up temporary shelters with grace and enthusiasm, and at the same time be ready to step up and initiate a creative project that engages with circular design, community engagement, and education. You also must be willing to collaborate with others on projects and find your distinct contribution to these creative projects within a Design and Innovation Lab framework. As volunteers with LATRA you are entrusted to continue this good work and to put your most creative self forward.

Open to be a mentor: klhomegirl@gmail.com

Yours truly,

kara lynch

Associate Professor of Video and Critical Studies, Hampshire College

I think my last moment with the organization sums it up - as I was walking off campus, with the director yelling and stomping around because he didn't win the battle against me (instead of wasting more time fundraising for useless projects for him, I quit), a young Syrian girl ran up to me and asked, "what did that man do to you? Did he beat you?"

Ok, let's back up. First, for anyone who posts feedback for Latra, please note that they have created two profiles. After negative criticism was posted on one profile, they created another. So you may want to post in both places. On that note, i'm not sure my feedback is relevant anymore, as I heard that they have just, for the fourth time, had their program or volunteers reprimanded for work they were doing in the camp under LATRA's oversight. I've heard they have been at least temporarily removed from the camp (again). While I am not sure of the circumstances of this removal, I was there during three other reprimands from the camp director. Actually, 4 now that I think of it. And it's not that the volunteers are bad! But the volunteers are operating under LATRA's direction which routinely clashes with camp protocol. OK on with my review…

LATRA's responses to Eric Leland's criticism speak accurately of their organization - sarcastic, inappropriate, and ineffective. How professional is it for a staff member to respond with sarcasm and strange fake-gratitude for the negative press the first review brought? It shows their petty nature without anyone even needing to dig deep.

Their other response is more indicative of their nature. Naming me by first and last name in a public forum that I was not a part of was uncool and done out of retribution for my husband's post. I was going to stay out of this public disagreement as I filed my own complaint privately, but they forced my hand by attacking my character in a public forum. Second, they included quotes from volunteers that they collected while the volunteers still worked for them - written at the request of the director. If your boss asks you to write a positive review, and you have seen 4 people quit under duress in the last 2 weeks (5 if you count the LATRA volunteer who broke both her arms doing a construction job she had no training for), but you really want to keep access to the camp, are you really in a position to say no? The same people writing those reviews may be making fun of LATRA in private conversations but are unable to speak up for fear of retribution. You can see from LATRA's response what happens when you don't speak highly of them - they throw you under the bus. I certainly have had conversations with several active volunteers who say they are doing their work despite the obstacles put in place by the organization, not with their support. They paint a nice playground on the cement - the director tries to "help" and makes it so sloppy they have to add mess to the first part to make it match his; they raise money for a library the director tells them to build - they get in trouble with the camp and kicked out for a day because they didn't get permission first; they take initiative to improve the food program under LATRA's guidance - they get yelled at for thinking they have the power to make sweeping changes; they wait for LATRA's instructions on how to conduct workshops (for fear of getting in more trouble) - they get mocked behind their backs (I was there) at a dinner with another NGO for having no initiative.

One of the quotes defending LATRA speaks about events that happened when the person writing the review wasn't even there and even goes as far as to say that no one has felt threatened by the directors behavior - this alone invalidates its claims, as there is no way the author has been in everyone's heads and has been present at every interaction.

LATRA volunteers are doing a few neat projects, but most projects have been discontinued before they even get started. Most of the workshops that were planned during my one month were not successfully implemented and in fact an enormous amount of time was wasted trying to get around their disorganization, impulsive decision making, lack of strategic planning, and shortsighted yet unrealistic goals. For example, tech workshops were planned and canceled. No 3d models have been built, and the library that was fundraiser for? The volunteer in charge who raised the money quit a month before he planned with his own complaints.

There is no sign of architectural or technological innovation being used to improve the camp - shoot, they don't even use their own tent they designed because it couldn't withstand the wind. The volunteers have been verbally abused in several occasions by LATRA or the camp management while working for LATRA (conducting activities they were not allowed to do but did so under LATRA's direction). For example, the director pulled volunteers off of a strategic implementation of installing shade structures to paint flowers on the houses - when a volunteer complained that it's insensitive to be decorating houses when people are baking inside and we could be getting shade up quicker, she was scolded for questioning her assignment. Volunteers were also pulled off of that project, which implemented shade structures strategically to avoid conflict, to install special, individualized structures for the directors' favorite families, which put the volunteers in danger because other residents became angry at the unequal treatment. I myself halted a project one afternoon to bring a volunteer to the doctor, as he was told by the camp medical staff that he had a contagious skin fungus that needed medication before working with anyone else. LATRA knew this, told him to go to the doctor in front of another NGO, and then when that NGO left, allowed him to go back to work, putting volunteers and refugees at risk of contracting his fungus.

I could go on for pages about how dysfunctional this program is. One morning he arrived (late, typical) with a hoarse voice. I asked if he was getting sick and he said, "no. It's from a screaming match that lasted all night." What?!?!

So, back to the Syrian girl who asked, "what did that man do to you? Did he beat you?" ...Tell me no one has felt threatened by him.

Oh, and I paid him a mandatory 160euros for this. He said it was for his liability insurance, so that if I quit and sue him, he is insured. Who even says stuff like that? He gave one member the money back, calling it a donation. So where's my refund? It certainly was not a donation!

I think my last moment with the organization sums it up - as I was walking off campus, with the director yelling and stomping around because he didn't win the battle against me (instead of wasting more time fundraising for useless projects for him, I quit), a young Syrian girl ran up to me and asked, "what did that man do to you? Did he beat you?"

Ok, let's back up. First, for anyone who posts feedback for Latra, please note that they have created two profiles. After negative criticism was posted on one profile, they created another. So you may want to post in both places. On that note, i'm not sure my feedback is relevant anymore, as I heard that they have just, for the fourth time, had their program or volunteers reprimanded for work they were doing in the camp under LATRA's oversight. I've heard they have been at least temporarily removed from the camp (again). While I am not sure of the circumstances of this removal, I was there during three other reprimands from the camp director. Actually, 4 now that I think of it. And it's not that the volunteers are bad! But the volunteers are operating under LATRA's direction which routinely clashes with camp protocol. OK on with my review…

LATRA's responses to Eric Leland's criticism speak accurately of their organization - sarcastic, inappropriate, and ineffective. How professional is it for a staff member to respond with sarcasm and strange fake-gratitude for the negative press the first review brought? It shows their petty nature without anyone even needing to dig deep.

Their other response is more indicative of their nature. Naming me by first and last name in a public forum that I was not a part of was uncool and done out of retribution for my husband's post. I was going to stay out of this public disagreement as I filed my own complaint privately, but they forced my hand by attacking my character in a public forum. Second, they included quotes from volunteers that they collected while the volunteers still worked for them - written at the request of the director. If your boss asks you to write a positive review, and you have seen 4 people quit under duress in the last 2 weeks (5 if you count the LATRA volunteer who broke both her arms doing a construction job she had no training for), but you really want to keep access to the camp, are you really in a position to say no? The same people writing those reviews may be making fun of LATRA in private conversations but are unable to speak up for fear of retribution. You can see from LATRA's response what happens when you don't speak highly of them - they throw you under the bus. I certainly have had conversations with several active volunteers who say they are doing their work despite the obstacles put in place by the organization, not with their support. They paint a nice playground on the cement - the director tries to "help" and makes it so sloppy they have to add mess to the first part to make it match his; they raise money for a library the director tells them to build - they get in trouble with the camp and kicked out for a day because they didn't get permission first; they take initiative to improve the food program under LATRA's guidance - they get yelled at for thinking they have the power to make sweeping changes; they wait for LATRA's instructions on how to conduct workshops (for fear of getting in more trouble) - they get mocked behind their backs (I was there) at a dinner with another NGO for having no initiative.

One of the quotes defending LATRA speaks about events that happened when the person writing the review wasn't even there and even goes as far as to say that no one has felt threatened by the directors behavior - this alone invalidates its claims, as there is no way the author has been in everyone's heads and has been present at every interaction.

LATRA volunteers are doing a few neat projects, but most projects have been discontinued before they even get started. Most of the workshops that were planned during my one month were not successfully implemented and in fact an enormous amount of time was wasted trying to get around their disorganization, impulsive decision making, lack of strategic planning, and shortsighted yet unrealistic goals. For example, tech workshops were planned and canceled. No 3d models have been built, and the library that was fundraiser for? The volunteer in charge who raised the money quit a month before he planned with his own complaints.

There is no sign of architectural or technological innovation being used to improve the camp - shoot, they don't even use their own tent they designed because it couldn't withstand the wind. The volunteers have been verbally abused in several occasions by LATRA or the camp management while working for LATRA (conducting activities they were not allowed to do but did so under LATRA's direction). For example, the director pulled volunteers off of a strategic implementation of installing shade structures to paint flowers on the houses - when a volunteer complained that it's insensitive to be decorating houses when people are baking inside and we could be getting shade up quicker, she was scolded for questioning her assignment. Volunteers were also pulled off of that project, which implemented shade structures strategically to avoid conflict, to install special, individualized structures for the directors' favorite families, which put the volunteers in danger because other residents became angry at the unequal treatment. I myself halted a project one afternoon to bring a volunteer to the doctor, as he was told by the camp medical staff that he had a contagious skin fungus that needed medication before working with anyone else. LATRA knew this, told him to go to the doctor in front of another NGO, and then when that NGO left, allowed him to go back to work, putting volunteers and refugees at risk of contracting his fungus.

I could go on for pages about how dysfunctional this program is. One morning he arrived (late, typical) with a hoarse voice. I asked if he was getting sick and he said, "no. It's from a screaming match that lasted all night." What?!?!

So, back to the Syrian girl who asked, "what did that man do to you? Did he beat you?" ...Tell me no one has felt threatened by him.

Oh, and I paid him a mandatory 160euros for this. He said it was for his liability insurance, so that if I quit and sue him, he is insured. Who even says stuff like that? He gave one member the money back, calling it a donation. So where's my refund? It certainly was not a donation!

I volunteered with LATRA for the month of May 2017. LATRA co-ordinator Aris and the other volunteers were all very kind and I had a nice experience. Working at Kara Tepe was lovely - very well-organized, clean, and full of wonderful people, residents and staff alike. I would recommend volunteering with LATRA to people who are creative, flexible, and self-directed, as there are times when one must take initiative, for instance, to create new activities with the children. In the month that I was there, there were times when I was the only volunteer, and times when we were a team of up to five. Because this depends entirely on the aleatoric flow of volunteers, one much be equally comfortable working alone and working in a team environment.

Many days Aris would only come to Kara Tepe for a short time, especially when working on grant-writing and other administrative duties. Therefore, one must be flexible and a self-starter who is comfortable with self-directed projects. If you are looking for volunteer work that is more structured and deals more with the day-to-day (cooking/serving meals, education, etc.) then you would be better suited working with another organization. The work that I did with LATRA was primarily painting houses with the children, although we did implement an experimental project making soap with reused oil as a way to engage the women at Kara Tepe. Unfortunately, this project was just getting going when I had to leave, so I wasn't able to see the results.

Volunteering with LATRA would be best suited to people who have ideas of projects and programs they would like to implement at Kara Tepe, and who have the time to stay and implement them. People who only have a few days to work might be better suited helping out in the warehouse or with another initiative that offers more direct tasks and guidance. If you are a creative individual with self-directed initiative and design ideas ready to implement, activate, and experiment - and time to stick around to develop a project - then LATRA would be a good fit! 

Zoë, 34, Canada.

From all of us here at LATRA and the LATRA Innovation Lab, we would like to thank Eric Leland for another glowing review. They say that there is ‘no such thing as bad publicity’ and Eric has set out on a crusade to prove it right, by taking the time and effort to write 6 separate reviews in 3 different organizations. It is always great to meet a fan! LATRA is a Greek organization who has  hosted countless volunteers from across the world who have been phenomenal in making a positive impact to the Kara Tepe Community. The LATRA volunteers are currently engaging in running a number of activities with the residents of the Kara Tepe Community such as creative workshops for young adults, painting an urban playground for children, renovating a safe space for preschoolers and painting the houses of the residents in Kara Tepe so they combat the adverse effects of marginalization. The ‘LATRA Innovation Lab’ is a newly founded co-working makerspace, situated in Kara Tepe, which will investigate digital technology in the humanitarian sector. Our upcoming project involves 3D printing prosthetic limbs by using recycled plastic waste. Eric, as well as all of you are more than welcome to join us, although we require volunteers to dedicate their time on making a positive impact through digital applications, rather than writing complaint letters :)  We have projects in 7 different countries (Greece, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, UK and Qatar) all of which you can review here (www.latra.gr). Our most important achievement however, is to be able to contribute to the improvement of the livelihood of the people that reside in Kara Tepe. Here is a video of how we repaired people’s homes during the winter, and what the community thought of our efforts: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LCAlyDZF3A&t=6s). We carry on with our day to day operations in Kara Tepe and you can keep track of our current work on progress via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/LATRALESVOS/) where we will be posting news and updates on the playground, STEM workshops and recycled prosthetic hand. We look forward to including all of you that are hoping to make a positive impact on the world part of our operations in Kara Tepe, and thank you so much Eric Leland for this wonderful opportunity to advertise our achievements. They say ‘love your haters, they are your biggest fans’ and we couldn’t have anyone better than Eric. Keep up the hard work! Lots of love from everyone here at LATRA & (our brand new, woohoo) LATRA Innovation Lab! 

From all of us here at LATRA and the LATRA Innovation Lab, we would like to thank Eric Leland for another glowing review. They say that there is ‘no such thing as bad publicity’ and Eric has set out on a crusade to prove it right, by taking the time and effort to write 6 separate reviews in 3 different organizations. It is always great to meet a fan! LATRA is a Greek organization who has  hosted countless volunteers from across the world who have been phenomenal in making a positive impact to the Kara Tepe Community. The LATRA volunteers are currently engaging in running a number of activities with the residents of the Kara Tepe Community such as creative workshops for young adults, painting an urban playground for children, renovating a safe space for preschoolers and painting the houses of the residents in Kara Tepe so they combat the adverse effects of marginalization. The ‘LATRA Innovation Lab’ is a newly founded co-working makerspace, situated in Kara Tepe, which will investigate digital technology in the humanitarian sector. Our upcoming project involves 3D printing prosthetic limbs by using recycled plastic waste. Eric, as well as all of you are more than welcome to join us, although we require volunteers to dedicate their time on making a positive impact through digital applications, rather than writing complaint letters :)  We have projects in 7 different countries (Greece, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, UK and Qatar) all of which you can review here (www.latra.gr). Our most important achievement however, is to be able to contribute to the improvement of the livelihood of the people that reside in Kara Tepe. Here is a video of how we repaired people’s homes during the winter, and what the community thought of our efforts: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LCAlyDZF3A&t=6s). We carry on with our day to day operations in Kara Tepe and you can keep track of our current work on progress via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/LATRALESVOS/) where we will be posting news and updates on the playground, STEM workshops and recycled prosthetic hand. We look forward to including all of you that are hoping to make a positive impact on the world part of our operations in Kara Tepe, and thank you so much Eric Leland for this wonderful opportunity to advertise our achievements. They say ‘love your haters, they are your biggest fans’ and we couldn’t have anyone better than Eric. Keep up the hard work! Lots of love from everyone here at LATRA & (our brand new, woohoo) LATRA Innovation Lab! 

I started working with Latra when I arrived on Lesvos. My first week was spent primarily putting up shading on the units with two other organizations at Kara Tepe, Movement on the Ground and Because We Carry. They were very prepared and had clearly worked together before, none of them even knew Latra did anything but paint houses. After the Latra team got to know the other organizations, the three became a team and worked well together to put shade up as efficiently as possible. Several times, we had to take down shade that Latra had already put up because of miscommunication. After my first week, I found out another organization, ERCI, took the children at the camp swimming so I started to get involved with them. Meanwhile, 10 more volunteers arrived to work with LAtra the same week as me so I felt I was more valuable in another organization that needed people. Yet during that first week I spoke to other volunteers and we found out that Aris, the director, had been charging us all different fees to work with Latra. In addition, there were almost 20 volunteers with no real direction. One volunteer stepped up to organize where Aris wasn't and he would undermine the work she did and completely change the schedule she was told to make. It was ridiculous for me to be on the outside, working with an organized NGO, and seeing how much time and energy was being wasted with Latra. Overall, Latra did good work like add people to put up shade, paint a playground, paint the boxes, and host some workshops but there was never really follow through or direction. The directors treatment of volunteers was also incredibly problematic.

Reading all the recent comments about LARTA prompted me to submit my own experience.   I was also very disappointed in the LATRA organization. I came to LATRA under false pretenses.  When I signed up with LATRA they  posted and STILL DO that they needed URGENT help when in fact they didnt even have a game plan for the current volunteers.  I had to smile when I saw the recent statement of all the activities they are posting. To the best of my knowledge they are all about 2 weeks in. The amazing team of volunteers that I recently  worked with put them ALL into action. The only thing that was in place was painting the houses. Yes, then there is the 3d printer that is not even plugged in???

My daughter and I were in Kara Tepe to volunteer for a month, but we both left LATRA after the first week, finding and moving on to more productive NGO's . I learned that several of the other NGO's have no idea what LATRA even does, even though LATRA  has been at Kara Tepe  since 2015??   I experienced first hand Arias LATRA 's  director lack of knowledge about what the other NGO's do at Kara Tepe..  when  Save the Children (the  NGO right next door to LATRA)   Arias didn't even know the schools schedule.  Yet, Arias had no problem calling out the volunteers for disrupted a class by accident, when in fact Arias was in the wrong for not providing the volunteers with this basic camp information about this important school schedule.

We left LATRA because we felt they were wasting our time, I felt they were at Kara Tepe out of self interest and not that of the refugees, I was VERY put off when I became aware of the fact that LATRA charged everyone a different sign up cost ranging fior $50.00 up to $200.00 per person. BE AWARE!!! That is NOT honest and you will not find that behavior with any other NGO"s at Kara Tepe. Lastly when a fellow volunteer had been severly injured and needed surgury. LATRA lacked responsibility. 

Overall Kara Tepe was a great place to volunteer, we met many wonderful caring people doing wonderful things. 

Wow, first off I would like to say that the instructions for posting ask we keep it civil and constructive.  The multiple long posts from Latra, including calling out volunteers by name, is not in keeping with this.  I did not work in Kara Tepe with this group at the time of these incidents, but I was there the month before.  I also saw Aris scream hysterically and use foul language at volunteers in front of children and families living in the camp.  Luckily, he was rarely there because otherwise it was a nice way to get to know people who live in the camp, other volunteers, and organizations.  When he did turn up, it was usually to change whatever the previous orders were for us.  I never saw any STEM projects, just painting houses.  I would not recommend this very disorganized org which treats people so poorly, but there are many other groups to work with. 

I also spent time at One Happy Family.  I highly recommend this community centre.  Here you can really see what working with and not working for is like.  Here you do not have to fear crossing lines but instead you are encouraged to get to know people from everywhere and work together on projects.  OHF promotes respect, encouragement, problem solving, listening, and most positive aspects of living in a world where so many different people need to learn to live together.  At OHF people can teach or learn English, Greek, and sometimes other languages too.  There is a library, a cafe, and boutique, and more, all projects put together from the people who have expressed a desire for these and who come to the community centre.

The bottom line is no matter what people post here, when you come you will find out what the reality is for yourself.