Volunteers from all over the world

Our volunteers come from all corners of the globe, bringing with them a diverse range of experiences and perspectives. What unites them is their deep understanding of the needs of women. They have witnessed the challenges and barriers that women face in different societies and cultures. By immersing themselves on the island of Lesvos, they have learn to listen and empathize with the struggles that women and children endure as refugees. Our volunteers are passionate about creating change and empowering women to overcome these obstacles. Through their dedication and commitment, they strive to make a positive impact in the lives of women at the center, ensuring that their voices are heard and their needs are met. Together, they work towards a world where women are given equal opportunities and rights, regardless of their background or location.

About the volunteers

”The protection and promotion of human rights, solidarity and equality is something I have always had a deep interest in. This passion has led me to connect with WWBT, where I could learn from their wonderful work and achieve my dream of working with and for people. Thanks to this magnificent experience I have met such wonderful people who have given me back faith in humanity. I feel very lucky to be able to enjoy and learn with them, which has made me grow as a person and has enriched my life. Having been able to meet, share and enjoy with these extraordinary people and be part of WWBT activities, as well as having had the opportunity to enjoy dance therapy together, smiling and hugging each other while dancing has been magical and a real privilege. I am very happy and grateful to have found this beautiful family. The motto I use in my life is: "Be the change you want to see in the world" I want the world to be more just, more human, more equal and full of love and I know I am in the right place because change is happening here in WWBT. I will always be grateful for the experiences I have lived here and I will always treasure in my heart and soul the unique bonds we have created together"

- Cira from Spain

”Hello, I am Salomé, 27 years old, from France. I have been in Lesvos for five months. I have a background in Psychology and Iam currently taking a break before pursuing my master'sdegree. The idea of coming here was becoming more and more present, so...here I am.

Why did I choose WWBT? 'm not sure; I simply picked the first one that involved women and children. It felt right at the right moment. Now, I can talk about what I love: the people I've met. WWBT brings together such a diverse group of women with unique personalities and energies. It's the first time I've been surrounded exclusively by women – women who laugh, women who learn, women who argue, women who don't apologize for being women. I spend my time with teenagers who are already navigating adulthood and with women who sometimes long to revisit their childhood.I am with women who are workers, wives, friends, and amazing mothers. They have crossed many frontiers and have witnessed many horrors. But I am also with women who exude authority and possess a magical power in their eyes. They are the ones who, when you experience even the slightest stomach ache, make you sit down, prepare a hot water bottle, and forbid you from moving until you feel better. We are with these women who undergo transformation when they dance, who get upset when they don't understand something, and who become excited when they finally grasp a new language, sport, or game. We are with women who courageously confront their fears every day – women who venture into the sea, hold the plank in your arms, play, and slowly learn how to swim and conquer their fear of water. For the past five months, we have talked about our lives, debated politics and sexual awareness. We discussed religion, family, and men. We talked about friendship and what it means to be a woman in a world that wants us to be small and quiet. We talked about the fear of joining Europe but also all of the hope this new future brings.So thank you, thank you to them for making me a better woman.

- Salome from France

Here's what our International volunteers experienced

I volunteered at WWBT this summer. I had 3 months off and I wanted to help others and contribute for Kindness. I had a great experience there. On the sport’s field, I would help young boys and girls to master the tennis and the basketball, or share great moment playing volleyball with the community volunteers. With the children, alongside the amazing Katerina, I spent delightful moments with the kids and teenagers making them turn around or carrying them upside down, things that did make them laugh a lot. My motto is « Always try to learn the other’s language so as to talk directly to his hear.

- Adrien from France

”My ancestors were Greek refugees during the 1923 population exchange, and they themselves supported refugee causes into the last years of their lives. When I began hearing about the many refugees arriving on the island in 2015, I knew that I wanted to help in some way.

Volunteering at WWBT has been an eye-opening, heart-warming, and heart-breaking experience, and it has changed my perspective forever. It’s one thing to read the news and another thing to meet first-hand the refugees themselves and the people who have been working on their behalf for years. Meeting the staff at WWBT has inspired me; I admire their commitment and dedication day after day. Meeting the women and children at the center has cracked my heart wide open. They greeted me with open arms and open hearts, and this fills me with awe and amazement. I met so many women who embody kindness and resilience, even after having endured unimaginable traumas and losses.

During my time at the center, I so enjoyed holding babies, helping children to write, teaching yoga, playing with the kids, and simply being in the presence of wonderful human beings.

The staff, the volunteers, and the women and children that I had the honor of meeting at the WWBT center will remain in my heart. I’m deeply grateful for all that I have been given during my time at the center and look forward to coming again.

Alexandra from USA

”In 2018, I made my first trip to Lesvos. I read an article about an organization that was looking for volunteers to teach English to refugees on the island. Since the school where I was teaching English was closing, and since my Master’s Field Project had been creating a handbook to train volunteers to teach English to Afghan women refugees, I thought it would be a perfect job for me. I came for three months and had a life-changing experience. This is my fourth trip to Lesvos to teach. Each trip has been different, but each has been rewarding and left me determined to return yet again. This year, I learned about WWBT and was excited to become part of the team. I love being part of giving the women and children a safe place to relax, learn and find some small oasis of calm and respect. The smiles on their faces and moments of genuine joy are my biggest rewards at the end of the day.

Deborah from USA

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”Hi! I’m Louisa, an International Social Work student now doing a 5-month internship at the lovely When We Band Together. My role is teaching English and running the social media. I have always felt strongly about the devastating refugee crisis on Lesbos and in WWBT I found the perfect way for me to help out. The centre really creates an escape from all that pain, which I find so valuable. One of the things I love at WWBT, is that everyone calls each other “sister”. It means that you and I are the same. I don’t need to know you or who are you to see that you are my sister. I love that so much. In that word we show that we see one another and love each other just for the fact that we are here and we are women.

Most of all, I love laughing with the women and kids. My most fond memories so far have been hearing the laughter during a game and the proud smiles on the faces of the women after learning a new word in English. Joy can be something we take for granted and I feel so privileged to be a part of the reason these wonderful people smile. For the rest of my life, I will remember the impact that WWBT has made on thousands of women and the millions of smiles that have been shared under its roof. I wish that every one of these women will one day find peace and that the kindness they have shown me will find its way back to them.

Louisa from Netherlands

”I remember very clearly the day when WWBT Hellas was introduced at my university. During the presentation, I could directly sense the welcoming and warm atmosphere. A couple of months later I arrived for the first time in Greece, planning to do a 5-month internship with WWBT.

Since the beginning, it has been a unique experience for me. Every day, I look forward to go to the center to be part of a really powerful community. Already the warm greeting and welcoming of each other in the morning is special and symbolizes the strong sense of caring for each other. Moreover, in my eyes, the center means empowerment, comfort, self-growth, and joy.

In the last two months, I started teaching German, realizing energy in gym classes together with the women, having fun with the kids, and so on. My days at WWBT are always a bit different and I can learn every day by the diversity of the center. Fortunately, my journey is not over yet. I am excited to stay another 2-3 months here on the Island to be part of the WWBT Team.

For the coming months, my motto is: I wish us all to get through the winter together with warmth for each other:)

Marlene from Germany

”For years I have been thinking that one day I would like to come to Lesvos to volunteer. The film "the swimmers" inspired and strengthened my decision to turn my wish into reality.

I quit my job to be able to come to Lesvos to WWBT for two months. I am a social worker and I have already worked in the refugee field in Switzerland. I made a conscious decision to work in a community center for women and children. This is a particularly vulnerable group, which can suffer greatly from the flight and the conditions in the camp and are therefore dependent on a safe place and support.

I like the work with the women and children in the WWBT very much. It provides the women and children with a daily routine, activities, a perspective and it is a safe space where each individual person can enter the WWBT in their own way.

Already after the first meeting with the women and children an emotional connection can be established, which is certainly also a challenge and to distance oneself is not always easy.

I am happy to go to work every day, support the womens empowered them, learn from them, dance with them and spend the day with them. The daily routine is characterized by a lot of joy, movement, cohesion and love.

My motto is "Love is the strongest force the world possesses." Mahatma Gandhi

And even though it is only a small place in the world, I am sure that WWBT will be remembered as a place of love by many women and children down the future way.

Lucia from Switzerland

”I have been wanting to volunteer for a long time and decided this was the year I would make it happen. I deeply believe in every person’s right to a home and a safe space, and after being told about the ongoing refugee crisis in Greece, I thought this could be exactly where I want to go to help and also become more informed about the situation.

As soon as I read the WWBT website, I knew that this was the organisation I wanted to work with. I really connected with their emphasis on the importance of wellness as a human right and on empowering women. My time volunteering here has been truly special. I feel very blessed to have met both the wonderful staff that run the center with such kindness and positivity, and also the women and children who are full of strength and so much joy despite all they have been and continue to go through.

Stephanie from England

“Love only grows by sharing. You can only have more for yourself by giving it away to others.”

― Brian Tracy