Healthcare for the Syrian refugees

I’m Shelby and I am in my final year of studying a Bachelor of Health Science in Naturopathy.

When finished it is my goal to work in small communities to empower people to improve their health and wellbeing, and reconnect to traditional plant medicines and food as medicine. I also believe in pushing beyond your comfort zone, and hope to extend this support to those whom are suffering trauma and dislocation from their community. So when I discovered an opportunity to volunteer next February with a group of health professionals in refugee camps in Greece I thought this was my chance to step up.

This group consists of more than 20 professionals including nutritionists, naturopaths, nurses, doctors, and refugee advocates whom are all so incredibly passionate about this issue. Our roles will focus on:

• providing nutrition support to pregnant and breastfeeding women and their children
• providing health checks
• donating healthy food and nutritional products
• health education
• basic exercise and yoga classes to help improve mental health.

It is hard to come by quality information about the refugee situation as the news is often skewed and the politics is so complex. I know that while the situation is desperate, there is still a lot I need to learn, that it’s easy to turn a blind eye and put it in the too hard basket as it is happening on the other side of the world. But I feel strongly that life presents us with opportunities to make a small difference, whatever that may be, so it is my hope that we can be a small part of supporting and helping these refugees, and to raise awareness of their plight.

This is where I am asking for your help and support. As I am still a student I need to fundraise my way there and I need $3500 to make this happen! This will not be a relaxing summer holiday in Greece, it will be confronting, hectic and challenging. Despite being off-season in terms of tourism, the costs for air-fares, accommodation, insurance etc soon add up. I will be paying for my own food and any extras beyond the camp, so any additional funds I manage to raise will be donated back into the refugee camps to buy extra supplies that they may need, such as fruits and vegetables, nappies, sanitary items, blankets or clothes to get them through the cold winter months.

Please donate as much or a little as little as you like, and share this page as widely as possible. Please know that by supporting me on this trip you are supporting the health and wellbeing of refugees who have families just like you and I, that were forced to flee their homes, their communities and face a frighteningly uncertain future.

If youl would like more information, please take a moment to watch this youtube clip / read the article on the links below. This small act can make a difference to the lives of others, and ultimately the world that we live in.

http://cafod.org.uk/News/International-news/Refuge...

https://www.rescue.org/country/greece

http://www.lighthouserelief.org/blog/getting-creat...

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