Serbia: Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support

Daily Report:    Date – 02/8/16     Time Worked – 9:15pm-1:00am     Location – Train from Preševo to Niš

Team Members – 8

• Dejan Dolašević – Medical Worker
• Stefan Milutinović – Psychologist
• Sanja Popov – Psychologist
• Miloš Tomaš – Social Worker
• Ivana Matejić – Social Worker
• Marija Ghabin – Translator (Arabic Language)
• Suzana Ghabin – Translator (Arabic Language)
• Senda Boukadida – Translator (Arabic Language)

Questions the Project Beneficiares Asked:

• Why is the train so full?
• Do you have any blankets?
• Why is it so hot in the train?
• How far is it to Croatia / Slovenia / Germany / Sweden?

Brief Narrative Describing What a Shift Working is Like

We went from Belgrade at 6:45 am. First, we stopped at Vranje and we rented rooms at hotel. After that, we continued trip to Preševo. We arrived in Preševo at 12:05 am. First, we went to Railway station for information about timetable of the arrival of trains. The staff in the Railway Office Station Preševo gave us information that there are two trains per day, one, during the day, and another during the night and that departure time varies depending on ticket sales. After that, we went to meet with the border police with which we cooperated about entry of refugees in the train. Border police accepted our help and we agreed about future activities. The train was due to leave the Railway station in the afternoon about 4:00 pm. After that we left the station and went to the One Stop Centre to meet with colleagues from ADRA who work in the One Stop Centre. They introduced us into the organization of the camp and their everyday activities. Also, they organized our meeting with other NGO workers in One Stop Centre, especially colleagues from Mercy Crops organization and UNHCR.
 
We got back at the Railway station at the 4:30 pm. There were about 450 refugees. We agreed with police that translators will provide information about entry in the train, about departure time and about seating arrangements in the train. Translators have done their job. But police made a mistake, when they opened all the doors on the train but there is information that there is only one door for entry. That misinformation created a stampede. Police were not able to check transit papers of refugees outside of train. They did that in the train with help of our translators and other members of team. Team members also helped conductor to check their train tickets and several misunderstandings were resolved. Families were not at the same place in wagon, and that`s the reason for misunderstandings with the conductor. There was only one man around 60 years old who refused to talk or recieve help.
 
Medical interventions are mainly related to the lowering the fever of small babies. Ambulance waited for us in Niš, which we called. One girl from Afghanistan had a very high fever. Ambulance gave her an injection at the Railway station in the city of Niš. 
 

Items That are Needed for Their Work:

• Water in small bottles
• Medicines
• Blankets
• Food, especially milk
• Small toys for kids