Wave
Thessaloniki, Greece

For five years, the Wave Community Center has been working to address critical gaps in the provision of services for refugees in Thessaloniki, Greece. An increasing number of refugees have no access to sanitation, medical care, clean drinking water, or food—they live as homeless people on the streets of Greece.

In 2024, the project was able to provide significant support. Throughout the year, 22,538 people visited the center, including an increasing number of women and children. The refugees came from Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Kuwait, Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Algeria, and Morocco.

In 2025, Cuisine sans frontières will continue its efforts in Thessaloniki.

The security situation for people on the run in Greece remains concerning. A report by the Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN) highlights widespread violence, abuse, and a lack of support for refugees. Particularly alarming are the conditions in the deportation centers, where reports of violence, poor hygiene, and lack of access to medical care are the norm. At the same time, an increase in police presence and controls has been reported, further exacerbating the situation for undocumented people on the streets of Thessaloniki. Tragically, since last year, more and more families with young children have been affected by these precarious circumstances.

In this situation, Cuisine sans frontières supports the NGO Wave Thessaloniki, which provides food to homeless refugees. Csf ensures that refugees receive at least one hot meal a day at a safe location.

In 2024, a total of 30,158 meals were distributed at Wave, 2,495 electronic devices were charged, and 1,507 showers were provided. Additionally, the team distributed 123 sleeping bags, 733 laundry loads, 1,318 articles of clothing, and 10,365 hygiene items. Furthermore, 336 packages with essential items were sent to refugees in deportation centers.

In 2024, two volunteers from the Csf network completed three-month and four-week assignments at the Wave project. Their tasks included working in the kitchen and collecting surplus food from the market. In 2025, we will again support Wave with committed volunteers on-site, expertise, and financial resources.