The Never-Ending Line
Volunteer photojournalist Ted Wendel describes the masses of people seeking to get into Western Europe by way of the Gevgelija Transit Center in Macedonia, where Project HOPE is helping with donated medicines and volunteer assistance.
The line seems to go on forever. Each day they come. Migrants from Syria, Northern Africa and Afghanistan moving northward toward an uncertain future in Western Europe and Scandinavia. Some days the line may be shorter because of strikes in Greece, but once the strikes are over the line swells again.
How long can this go on? The answer is uncertain. It is a complex mixture of human need and politics. The camps in Turkey hold millions. Speaking with those who pass through the Migrant Transit Center in Macedonia, it is clear that all those in the camps want to move on. They are willing to risk their lives crossing the sea between Turkey and Greece for a chance at a better life. The reality of this greatest migration of humans is just now being considered. No one can see the end of the line and even the onset of the winter months may not stem the flow of migrants.
Temporary solutions are no longer realistic. Plans need to be put in place that recognize the first 500,000 migrants are only the vanguard. There are at least a million more who will follow. The first group of migrants are those who have managed to put together the financial resources to make the trip. Subsequent groups may be poorer and need more help.
Project HOPE is doing what it can to help. An initial small group of volunteers is present at the Migrant Transit Center in Gevgelija, Macedonia. Their work is supported by an incredible team of Project HOPE professionals at the office in Skopje. Working as a team, they provide much needed relief for health care workers from the local Ministry of Health. These Project HOPE volunteers work side by side with their local colleagues and the Red Cross providing medical care to the sick and injured who arrive at the Migrant Center each day.
Project HOPE needs your assistance to be sure we are prepared to keep helping. Volunteer health care professionals spend three weeks of their personal time in Gevgelija. They give their time and talent. They do it because their values transcend the politics and focus on helping people in need.