2017年CRI Chinese volunteers help refugees in Athens

 

Oushinet.com, an online news source dedicated¹ to overseas Chinese communities in Europe has just selected their 2016 top 10 news reports. One of the 10 stories features a group of Chinese volunteers in Greece helping² refugees over the past year.

The volunteer group was established in December 2015. Its members included vendors³ from Chinatowns in Athens and Thessaloniki, and instructors⁴ at the Business Confucius Institute in Athens.

During the past year, the group has provided aid to refugees at Lesbos, the largest landing spot for refugees entering Europe by sea. They have also expanded their services to parts of Athens.

Distributing food, medicine and clothes, the group also tries to persuade refugees to go to formal camps where they are guaranteed a proper living.

A Syrian refugee said the group's help was vital to him.

"The good thing about this organization is that it's not only for (one) thing exactly. If you knew that some organizations are only for children; some organizations are only for clothes; some organizations are only for food. But the different thing about this organization is that it is an organization for all things, for everything you need," said the refugee.

Chen Xueyan is one of the Chinese volunteers involved in the local newscasts. Her team once helped a Syrian family.

Chen says that she has been humbled⁵ by the experience.

"I'm very happy. But we still are lacking in experience on handling some situations, some of the things we could have done better," said Chen.

Chen and her fellow volunteers once offered supplies to the family, helped them find job opportunities after they settled in a refugee camp, and bought them tickets to Athens when they were settled in an Athens neighborhood.

Another Chinese volunteer Wang Defeng says what they've done is more than just assistance.

"While we are offering our help, we became friends with refugees. I also brought my children here and they became friends with the refugee children. I brought them along because it teaches them to be tough on whatever life dishes out to them," said Wang Defeng.

The large influx⁶ of Middle Eastern refugees and migrants reaching Greece from the sea has made several of the country's islands hubs for a vast network of NGOs and solidarity⁷ groups involved in the effort. In Lesbos alone, more than 80 NGOs are currently operating, ranging from major international organizations like the UN's refugee agency, to groups of local residents and foreigners moved by the refugees' plight⁸.

At a refugee summit at the United Nations a few months ago, Chinese Premier⁹ Li Keqiang pledged an additional $100 million in assistance to help deal with the global refugee and migrant crisis.

He also said the country was considering setting aside a $1 billion fund for the purpose.

1 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

4 instructors   

指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The instructors were slacking on the job. 教员们对工作松松垮垮。
• He was invited to sit on the rostrum as a representative of extramural instructors. 他以校外辅导员身份，被邀请到主席台上。

5 humbled   

adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低

参考例句：

• The examination results humbled him. 考试成绩挫了他的傲气。
• I am sure millions of viewers were humbled by this story. 我相信数百万观众看了这个故事后都会感到自己的渺小。

6 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

7 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

8 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

9 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。