Elpida Home for Refugees

June 2017

I have been in Thessaloniki, Greece for a month already - Volunteering at Elpida Home for Refugees in a mission to provide instruments and music instruction to refugees. 

Our mission continues at Elpida Home for refugees! I'm unable to believe that I have been here for over a month.  Time flies!  I arrived a month ago to volunteer as music teachers at Elpida Home for refugees. Tonight, I will perform at an EID performance for a party to close Ramadan - we have been waiting all month for this!  During Ramadan, performances are forbidden ("haram"), so we have been focusing on teaching small children and refraining from singing in common areas of the home.  We honor this beautiful tradition of fasting and introspective reflecting, and we look forward to celebrating with the residents this evening.  (the above video is from this evening, that's me playing and singing on the piano we donated!!  So much love!!) 

We have had such a wonderful time connecting with our refugee students, learning Arabic songs from them, and teaching them beginner's music theory. We acquired several guitars, a piano, some drums, glockenspiels, and shakers.  We have been working with ERCI International teachers to support their school classes at the home with music lessons and workshops, from Kindergarten / Preschool through to teenage students.   ERCI provide a safe space for children to learn, so we never take photos or film in class, however some of our students were happy for us to capture some moments in our private workshops.   

Thank you so much to our supporters who made it possible for us to be here, and for making these instruments available to these refugees. I would like to extend a HUGE thank you to PAOLITA for making such a beautiful pledge of 20% of sales for the last 3 months towards this mission.  It has been such a wonderful collaboration, an honour to represent a brand with such a big heart.   All those bikini posts on Instagram were all for a good cause :)  It is an honour to be here in musical service to these refugees.  Our hearts are full of love for these people who have been through so much. 

The work continues...