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CARING Angie Thadani is encouraging people to extend the spirit of Ramadan this summer by spending their holidays lending a helping hand to struggling refugees living in chaotic camps ... either from the comfort of their own home or by travelling abroad to offer hands-on help.
The 33-year-old who was born and raised in the kingdom, and whose Indian parents still live and work in Bahrain, recently offered her time and expertise to aid refugee children in Greece’s fifth largest island called Chios … and found the experience moving, eye-opening, as well as uplifting.
She said: “It’s been my most rewarding life experience thus far, meeting amazing people doing some wonderful work for refugees. They don’t often make the headlines, but they are out there.
“It’s empowering to know that you can make a difference in some small way. I don’t think you necessarily need to travel abroad to provide support. There are so many things you can do from Bahrain. Many organisations in Greece are looking for online volunteers for instance.
“I know Refugee Education Chios welcomes any new or used educational materials for children. Even just creating awareness about the issue is so important.”
The former St Christopher’s School student has a Masters in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London and a Bachelors in Commerce from McGill University in Montreal.
Angie has worked with a number of international organisations over the course of her career as a development professional. She said: “In a professional capacity, I have worked to protect and assist refugees but mostly at a policy level. I sit behind a desk most days and rarely get the opportunity to actually build personal relationships with families living in camps.”
“While working in Cairo, I volunteered at a refugee support centre for about six months. There, I tutored and became friends with an incredible young man who had moved to Cairo alone, separated from his family in Darfur and in search of a better life.
“It was such a privilege to get to know him, become friends with him, and, of course, teach him some English as well. In the end, I’m pretty sure he taught me much more Arabic than I taught him English! It was at this centre that I felt I was making a positive impact and that motivated me to explore more volunteering opportunities.”
It was then that Angie decided to explore other destinations that she could help and her last endeavour, before jetting off to Lebanon to start work with the International Relief Organisation, was to aid refugee children in Chios.
Angie, who now carries a Canadian passport, explained: “Following the news and learning about the plight of migrants and refugees fleeing war and persecution, I was driven to help out in some meaningful way.
“I love working with children and started to do some research about how I could get more involved. I learned that on average, refugees in Greece had missed 18 months of their education, with one-in-five never having been to school.
“There are about 1,500 people living in refugee camps on the island and about 30 per cent of them are children. Refugee Education Chios is the only education provider and I thought it would be a great way to make a difference and be part of a process that gives children some sense of stability and a space to be kids.”
Refugee Education Chios was founded and managed by Be Aware And Share (BAAS), a non-profit organisation based in Switzerland and established in 2015. Its original aim was simply to provide and distribute clothing and food for refugees travelling on the so-called Balkan Route.
Thousands of refugees had arrived on boats after perilous voyages from Turkey, mostly as a result of the war in Syria. Those who survived the journey by sea on flimsy vessels landed on remote beaches and many still do, fleeing conflicts and poverty.
After a series of short-term humanitarian relief operations, the group decided to set up a long-term crisis response project, especially after it became impossible for refugees to pass through borders further into Europe. The refugees living in Chios were also unable to work and could not enroll their children in local schools.
“Refugee Education Chios sought to fill this gap and was established to provide young refugees with a safe space, away from the camps, and restore a sense of normality and daily structure,” explained Angie.
By December 2016, the initiative had grown from having just one school with 25 children to two schools and a youth centre catering for more than 350. These institutions are all voluntary run, funded by charities and private donors.
She said: “The camps that these children live in are overcrowded. Many live in tents and there is a lack of proper heating during the winter months. There have also been outbreaks of violence.
“While I was volunteering in Greece there was an attack by a local far-right group on one of the camps. Molotov cocktails and large rocks were thrown at the refugees resulting in injuries and many tents being destroyed.
“Many were left sleeping outside, including many children. It was a horrific situation. These refugees have fled war, left everything they know behind and have now faced adversity in Chios as well. Most importantly, to me, the children had been left thinking that no one cared about them. It was our responsibility to prove them wrong.”
Like every volunteer, Angie was involved in every aspect of the day-to-day management of the school. She prepared snacks during break-time, cleaned classrooms, taught English and Maths to students of all ages, sang songs and led art projects.
Her favourite task was walking the six to eight year olds from the camps to the school. “The children were so welcoming and excited to see you every morning,” she explained. “It was also an opportunity for them to interact with the local community.”
The few fascist thugs who attacked the camp were not representative of the majority of people of the island. “It’s great to see that many residents in Chios are really warm and welcoming and wave hello as the kids say ‘Kalimera’ which is ‘good morning’ in Greek,” said Angie, whose family are extremely proud of her endeavours.
Mum Maya was also born and raised in Bahrain and works at the BDF Cardiac Centre. Dad Nanik, group internal audit manager at YBA Kanoo, moved to the kingdom in 1976.
They live in Mahooz and have two other children, Sonali, owner of Baby Essentials in Seef Mall, and Nikhil, an auditor with Ernst & Young.
Mother-of-two Sonali, said: “Angie has always had the biggest heart. Even as a teenager, she was always involved in some charity event and spent a huge amount of her free time volunteering for various causes. It was a natural progression for her to end up working with refugees. She gives tirelessly and without any need for recognition or reward. She truly is our family’s pride and joy.”
The family hopes she can inspire others. Angie said: “You can volunteer, donate books, raise awareness and connect with organisations. For starters, I encourage everyone to visit the Refugee Education Chios Facebook page to see how to get involved - www.facebook.com/refugeeeducationchios/?ref=br_rs”
Those interested in learning more, can contact Angie by emailing angie.thadani@gmail.com
