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From France with love!

Fri 17 July 2020

Two new associates, University students in France, participate voluntarily, doing their internship in the program "Boroume at the Farmers’ Market" until the end of July. Jules and Theo are very important presences in the team of Boroume, since in a short period of time they have taken on important responsibilities in the program. From the smooth running of programmed actions, to the calculation of the quantities of donations from the farmers’ markets, the contact with volunteers and the coordination of selected actions, Theo and Jules have responded very quickly to the needs of the program "Boroume at the Farmers’ Market" and have contributed to the "rescue" and offer of many hundreds of kilos of fruits and vegetables from cooperating farmers’ markets.

Theo reports on his participation in the program:

 "Working with Boroume is a wake-up call for me. Gathering food in public markets has given me the opportunity to meet many people from charities working with Boroume. But the team of Boroume itself is very dynamic and warm; they knew how to make me feel comfortable from the beginning. My partner, Jules, and our coordinator, Anna, are very good partners and the work atmosphere is so good! The work itself, the gathering of food is a very intense process, both because of the heat now in the summer but also because of the amount we often have to carry. But every time I see at the end of each action the amount of food we saved I feel great satisfaction. Finally, having come into contact through the actions of the program with beneficiaries (such as Afghan migrants) receiving support from the food we collect, I have learned about their lives, the difficulties they have faced and their experiences. This contact has upset me, made me take a step back and reflect on my own situation and my life. I feel very happy about the acquaintances I have made so far. So, anyone who wants to help and live a great experience, I recommend participating in Boroume unreservedly!"

Jules shared with us his own thoughts on his participation in our actions:

"Participating in Boroume is a really good experience as it gives you the opportunity to get to know how the charities in Athens work, and how one can, through Boroume, help many people in need. It is fantastic to see how many kilos of food we save each day and it makes you feel so good to know that all these fruits and vegetables, instead of being thrown away, will be used by various charities that need them so much. It is truly a blessing to be a member of this small community and to observe the extent of the help we provide, and that nothing can be done without all of us working together.

I confess that when I started joining the team here, I was a little skeptical since in my previous jobs people were not always friendly to new partners. But I must say that from the moment I set foot in the office I felt like a member of the team. Anna, my "boss" is a professional, with knowledge of what we have to do and working with her is enjoyable. It gives me many opportunities to handle situations on my own and try new things. And she is always smiling! "And I have to say that everyone here in the office looks very happy working here since you hear jokes and laughter between phone calls.

Working with Boroume was (and is!) a great experience.

We are especially happy when every year we receive the help of volunteers from abroad, not only for individual actions, but also for longer periods of time, as is the case with Jules and Theo. We hope to continue to have the joy of participation of other students of foreign universities as their participation is a very important help in the work of the program "Boroume at the Farmers’ Market".