Everyday Heroes

Meet Ruben Vanden Bossche, a 24 year old young man who is helping refugees in Chios, Greece. My interview with him.

Tell me a little bit about yourself..

Hi my name is Ruben and I am from Belgium. Back home I am a construction worker and an electrician. I volunteer with a few different organizations, mostly for locals that are going through a difficult time. I also love sports especially volleyball and also gardening.

If you can use one word to describe yourself, what would it be?

The one word I would like to use for myself is a “storm.” Another volunteer by the name of Tess, did a Mayan reading for me and told me I was a resonant storm. Which means I have a lot of energy and do everything with a lot of passion. I feel this is true and I keep pushing myself to the brink of exhaustion and then I stop.

Why did you decide to volunteer with CESRT- Chios Eastern Shore Response Team?

I have always volunteered in my community. In Belgium we have a large number of Syrian and Iraqi refugees and so I do have a little experience working with them. Some of my friends who had volunteered in Chios, told me about the situation here. Listening to what they said, made me angry that not enough people were helping this crisis and so I decided to come here and volunteer. I connected with CESRT through my friends and came here to volunteer. I had decided to take one year off work and figure out what to do next. My work wasn’t fulfilling and I felt like I was losing my spirit, so after much thought I decided to take a year off and travel around Europe, but after hearing about the stories here I decided to postpone my travels and help here where there is an urgent need to help.

Why couldn’t you do the same work at home, why come so far?

I felt that the refugees that were in Belgium were still in a better situation than they are here in Chios. People arrive here and don’t know what will happen. They leave everything behind and come to an unknown future, and I feel like people here need more help here.

What have you learned about the refugee situation that you didn’t know before?

Before coming here I knew nothing about the refugee crisis here on the island. But after working here, I learned the reasons why people would leave everything behind and come here, I heard their stories and created friendships.

Another eye opener was way the camps are run. I believed that big organizations were doing a wonderful job, but seeing it first hand I realized the lack of communication and how unorganized the whole system was. I think if all the organizations that are working to help the refugees, work together and communicate well — we can achieve so much more.

How was your experience at the Vial Camp?

My first experience at the Vial camp was great as we got to do games and play with the kids. We organized lots of games so the children could have some fun and the parents could get a break from. It was a wonderful experience.We weren’t allowed to go inside the camp and we just stayed outside.

The most shocking experience was when there was a storm and the tents caved in, the police made the refugees wait 3–4 hours in rain before the police were able to fix the situation. They were shivering and waiting in the storm while all their belongings got soaked.

What is your best memory of volunteering in Chios?

My best memory was during a landing. A man got off the boat and was so happy, he opened his phone and started to take selfies with everyone. He knew one word of English which was “selfie.” Even now when I meet him he is always smiling and his positive energy is contagious. From far away we see each other and call out-selfie to each other and it makes us both smile.

How do you plan to raise awareness in your community about the refugee crisis?

When I go back home I want to start a project where people are in a situation like they are being trafficked. This is a project that is already taking place in Switzerland, it allows people to understand what refugees go through when they are trafficked in the middle of the night and locked in rooms with many people. I would love to stat a project like that in Belgium.

I also want to talk to university students who are in their last year, about coming here to volunteer. Especially social workers who can come here and gain knowledge and experience while doing something good.

What is your message to the world?

My message to the world is that being aware is the most important thing. In Belgium the news channels will sugar coat the news, I believe that if there is shocking news it should be shown as shocking, because if people aren’t aware of a problem how can they help? I also wish that I could one day erase racism and let people understand that we are all one and should live in harmony and peace!