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Refugees and Volunteers in the Balkans: Faces Behind the Numbers

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Captured while travelling the Balkans, my next pictures tell the extraordinary story of the refugee crisis in Macedonia and Greece. It shows the struggles, desperation, boredom but also happiness and hope of those on the run for war and poverty, in search for a life of dignity and peace. 

The refugee crisis attract crowds from all over the world, who want to see for themselves what is going on. Here, a Dutch tourist takes pictures of a newly arriving group in Idomeni.
The refugee crisis attracts crowds from all over the world who want to see for themselves what is going on. Here, a Dutch tourist takes pictures of a newly arriving group in Idomeni, Greece – near the Macedonian border.
One of the approx. 200 groups that arrive in Idomeni daily. Despite the hard circumstances, the people remain hopeful, positive and hospitable.
One of the approx. 200 groups that arrive in Idomeni daily. Despite the hard circumstances, the people remain hopeful, positive and hospitable.
A group of refugees walk along the railway with only 5 kilomters left on their way to the border Greece-Macedonia
A group of refugees walks along the railway with only 5 kilometers left on their way to the border Greece-Macedonia.
A father in distress, carrying his disabled child while attempting to take a taxi on his way to Idomeni, Greece
A father in distress, carrying his disabled child while attempting to take a taxi on his way to Idomeni, Greece.
People are charging their phones. One of the main reasons why people are now travelling towards the EU is that the information on Facebook has improved a lot. There are many Facebook pages in Arabic with information on how to contact smugglers, telephone numbers, routes, time tables boats, etc.
People are charging their smart phones. One of the main reasons why people are now travelling towards the EU is that the information on Facebook has improved a lot. There are many Facebook pages in Arabic with information on how to contact smugglers, telephone numbers, routes, time tables boats, etc.
Refugees walk for hours in Greece, trying to reach the (unofficial) border crossing with the Republic of Macedonia. There is no special help to those who are injured, they often rely on their friends or family trying to get to the EU.
Refugees walk for hours in Greece, trying to reach the (unofficial) border crossing with the Republic of Macedonia. There is no special help to those who are injured, they often rely on their friends or family trying to get to the EU.
The boy on the right had his foot injured when Assad bombed his neighbourhood. The child in the middle had a car accident. His right arm and leg were fixed up in Turkey but the operation has not really been successful. Even though these kids looks very happy and are smiling all the time, one father told me that the psychological effects of their trauma still exist.
The boy on the right had his foot injured when Assad bombed his neighbourhood. The child in the middle had a car accident. His right arm and leg were fixed up in Turkey but the operation has not really been successful.
Even though these kids looks very happy and are smiling all the time, one father told me that the psychological effects of their trauma still exist.
A man is walking around the train station of Idomeni, holding a sign that assumedly says "Death to Assad"
A man is walking around the train station of Idomeni, holding a sign that assumedly says “Death to Assad”.
A refugee on his phone, underneath the water tower of Idomeni train station
A refugee on his phone, underneath the water tower of Idomeni train station.
A young boy near the Idomeni train station looks at a piece of barbed wire. While travelling the Balkan route towards the EU, he will often be confronted with similar defenses.
A young boy near the Idomeni train station looks at a piece of barbed wire. While travelling the Balkan route towards the EU, he will often be confronted with similar defence lines.
People are sitting down in a tent before being escorted by police to cross the unofficial border crossing Idomeni-Gevgelija
People are sitting down in a tent before being escorted by police to cross the unofficial border crossing Idomeni-Gevgelija
A Macedonian soldier overlooks a group of refugees as they are about to cross the border from Greece.
A Macedonian soldier overlooks a group of refugees as they are about to cross the border from Greece.
Greek police step into Macedonian territory, handing out cold drinks to the Macedonian army. Much of the order at the border is a direct result of the level of their cooperation, which remains good until today
Greek police step into Macedonian territory, handing out cold drinks to the Macedonian army. Much of the order at the border is a direct result of the level of their cooperation, which remains good until today.
Two young Syrian boys ride on top of their fathers' shoulders after just having left Greece. For many children, the journey towards the EU seems more of an adventure because they are to young to realise the situation.
Two young Syrian boys ride on top of their fathers’ shoulders after just having left Greece. For many children, the journey towards the EU seems more of an adventure because they are too young to realise the dire situation.
A young girl is lifted up in the air while the crowd waits to enter the Gevgelija camp in south Macedonia.
A young girl is lifted up in the air, entertaining a crowd waiting to enter the Gevgelija camp in south Macedonia.
Locals have created a small recharging station from an old Opel. Refugees need to pay up to €2 per phone.
Locals have created a small recharging station from an old Opel. Refugees need to pay up to €2 per phone, which is a despicable way of making a living.
A young Syrian boy receives a sandwich from a local volunteer as he enters the Gevgelija refugee transit camp.
A young Syrian boy receives a free sandwich from a local volunteer as he enters the Gevgelija refugee (transit) camp.
A refugee helps out resupplying a Red Cross barrack in the Gevgelija refugee camp. Often, refugees are bored and need to find ways to entertain themselves while waiting for documents or transportation. Most of them are also extremely thankful for the help they receive from volunteers along the Balkan route.
A refugee helps out resupplying a Red Cross barrack in the Gevgelija refugee camp. Often, refugees are bored and need to find ways to entertain themselves while waiting for documents or transportation. Most of them are also extremely thankful for the help they receive from volunteers along the Balkan route.
Two Syrian children play around in a UNHCR barrack before they are boarding a train to Tabanovce.
Two Syrian children play around in a UNHCR barrack before boarding a train to Tabanovce.
A young (refugee) boy hands out water to other refugees inside the Gevgelija refugee camp.
A young (refugee) boy hands out water to other refugees inside the Gevgelija refugee camp.
Friends of an injured young male walk towards the train that bring them from the Gevgelija camp straight to the northern border town Tabanovce.
Friends of an injured young male walk towards the train that will bring them from the Gevgelija camp straight to the northern border town Tabanovce.
Gevgelija refugee camp
People line up to board the train that goes fro Gevgelija to Tabanovce. They once paid €7 for a single trip, now prices have gone up to €25. Some say it’s due to deeply rooted corruption in the Macedonian government.
This young kid started crying as his father took the phone he was playing with. I then offered him to hold mine for a while, which immediately calmed the kid down.
This young kid started crying as his father took the phone he was playing with. I then offered him to hold mine for a while, which immediately calmed the kid down.
A young girl waves goodbye as an army soldier overlooks the scene
A young girl waves goodbye as an army soldier overlooks the scene
A young man smiles as he is on his way to Tabanovce
A young man smiles as he is on his way to Tabanovce
While it's pouring down, refugees are getting on buses to bring them from Gevgelija to Tabanovce. On September 10th, the railway employees were on strike after having not been paid for the last 2-3 months.
While it’s pouring down, refugees are getting on buses to bring them from Gevgelija to Tabanovce. On September 10th, the railway employees were on strike after having not been paid for the last 2-3 months.
On September 10th, railway employees were on strike, which drove up prices for taxis to €400 to bring them to the border with Serbia. An average wage in Macedonia is around €250 per month.
On September 10th, railway employees were on strike, which drove up prices for taxis to €400 to bring them to the border with Serbia. An average wage in Macedonia is around €250 per month.
A man screams to his friends while getting on a bus during a day of railway strike.
A man screams to his friends while getting on a bus during a day of railway strike.
A young girl cries as a small chaos errupts when people try to get on buses that will take to the border with Serbia.
A young girl cries as a small chaos errupts when people try to get on buses that will take to the border with Serbia.
A young girls stares out the window of a bus, as it is pouring down outside the Gevgelija refugee camp.
A young girls stares out the window of a bus and watches how it is pouring down outside the Gevgelija refugee camp.
A Macedonian volunteer rests between the arrival of trains with refugees
A Macedonian volunteer rests between the arrival of trains with refugees in Tabanovce.
At the Tabanovce train station refugees can change clothes, dressing up to face a cold night walking towards Serbia that lays only 400 meters away.
At the Tabanovce train station refugees can change clothes, dressing up to face a cold night. They need to walk towards Serbia that lays just 400 meters away and spent hours to receive the necessary documents to continue their journey to Belgrade.
Albanian Macedonian volunteers pray at the Tabanovce train station. They are there every day during the night, donating food and clothes to predominantly Muslim refugees.
Albanian Macedonian volunteers pray at the Tabanovce train station. They are there every day during the night, donating food and clothes to predominantly Muslim refugees.
A child and his father sit down as they obey orders given to them by Macedonian soldiers, before boarding a night train towards Tabanovce.
A child and his father sit down as they obey orders given to them by Macedonian soldiers, before boarding a night train towards Tabanovce.
The Gevgelija camp in south Macedonia never sleeps. Thousands of refugees keep pouring in, day and night, every day.
The Gevgelija camp in south Macedonia never sleeps. Thousands of refugees keep pouring in, day and night, every day.
A father and child sit down in Gevgelija camp as they are waiting with 1000 others to board a train that brings them directly to the northern border town Tabanovce.
A father and child sit down in Gevgelija camp as they are waiting with 1000 others to board a train that brings them directly to the northern border town Tabanovce.
A Yazidi woman with two of her children is taking shelter inside a tent in the Gevelija refugee camp. She and her family spent 10 days on Mount Sin Jar, when ISIS tried to massacre them. Now they are on their way to Germany.
A Yazidi woman with two of her children is taking shelter inside a tent in the Gevelija refugee camp. She and her family spent 10 days on Mount Sin Jar, when ISIS tried to massacre them. Now they are on their way to Germany.
An Albanian Macedonian volunteer keeps a child warm in Tabanovce while daddy takes a rest at 3AM.
3AM. An Albanian Macedonian volunteer keeps a child warm in Tabanovce while daddy takes a rest.
A volunteer with a megaphone shouts instructions in Arabic to the crowd. Most people do not know the exact way to Serbia and rely on volunteers to show them the way.
A volunteer with a megaphone shouts instructions in Arabic to the crowd. Most people do not know the exact way to Serbia and rely on volunteers to show them the way.
A child, wrapped up warmly by volunteers, cries for his mother at 3AM after arriving in Tabanovce.
A child, wrapped up warmly by volunteers, cries for his mother at 3AM after arriving in Tabanovce.
As children are arriving near the Macedonia-Serbia border at Tabanovce, volunteers from the town Studenichani fit new shoes, socks and clothes to the children. They are often freezing, wet and scared, arriving in the mid of night from the refugee camp in Gevgelija
As children are arriving near the Macedonia-Serbia border at Tabanovce, volunteers from the town Studenichani fit new shoes, socks and clothes to the children. They are often freezing, wet and scared, arriving in the mid of night from the refugee camp in Gevgelija.
A sign at Tabanovce train station indicates that only persons with permission are allowed access.
A sign at Tabanovce train station indicates that only persons with permission are allowed access to the border zone.
The small white pole marks the official border of Macedonia and Serbia. Volunteers guide people across in the dark. From here, refugees need to walk for 2 kilometers before they hit a Serbian police checkpoint.
The small white pole marks the official border of Macedonia and Serbia. Volunteers guide people across in the dark. From here, refugees need to walk for 2 kilometers before they hit a Serbian police checkpoint.
A Macedonian volunteers explains to some Afghan refugees how to travel into the EU through Croatia as news poored in that Hungary had sealed off its borders.
A Macedonian volunteer explains to some Afghan refugees how to travel into the EU through Croatia. News just poured in that Hungary finally sealed off its borders.
Refugees arrive by train on the early morning at Tabanovce train station, which lays 400 meters from the unofficial border with Serbia.
Refugees arrive by train on the early morning at Tabanovce train station, which lays 400 meters from the unofficial border with Serbia.
Refugees occassionally receive fresh fruit at the Tabanovce train station. Availability depends entirely on donations.
Refugees occassionally receive fresh fruit at the Tabanovce train station. Availability depends entirely on donations.
An Albanian Macedonian Imam lifts up a child on an early morning in Tabanovce train station. The love the refugees receive from local volunteers is unconditional.
An Albanian Macedonian Imam lifts up a child on an early morning in Tabanovce train station. The love the refugees receive from local volunteers is unconditional.
On an early morning, thousands of refugees cross into Serbia from Macedonia.
On an early morning, thousands of refugees cross into Serbia from Macedonia.
Spirits are up as refugees are crossing into Serbia on an early morning
Spirits are up as refugees are crossing into Serbia on an early morning.

Small note: please be aware that these are my own pictures and are copyright protected (all rights reserved). If you have any interest in using them, then please contact me first.