30. 'Leaving everything to volunteer in Greece changed my life forever,' with Holly Penalver, Founder of Indigo Volunteers

Asylum Speakers Podcast with Jaz O'Hara: Stories of Migration and Displacement

I LOVED recording this episode!

My guest this week is the most requested guest on this podcast ever - Holly Penalvar, founder of Indigo Volunteers.

Holly is an absolute ray of sunshine and known in this sector, not just for her amazing work coordinating thousands of volunteers, but for always doing so with a smile on her face so I think you guys probably knew that she would bring some joy and good vibes to the podcast.

Indigo volunteers is where I direct anyone wanting to volunteer within the refugee space. They directly connect volunteers with one of the 48 grassroots humanitarian projects and organisations that they partner with. They do so ethically, for free (unlike lots of other money making organisations that profit from placing volunteers), and they also carefully place people based on their skills and preferences.

On a personal level, Holly and I have always connected over our similar journeys working in this sector, from plunging head first into the grassroots response to the European refugee crisis back in 2016, and being on a steep learning curve ever since.

A recent headline about Holly in the metro read:

“I quit my job and ended my marriage to volunteer in greece with refugees. I helped thousands, met a new love and had a baby” - we talk about this journey that she’s been on today, from leaving everything behind in England, to 8 weeks ago, giving birth in Holland to baby Matteo with her Dutch partner Stijn who she met whilst volunteering in Thessaloniki.

To find out more about Indigo Volunteers:

https://www.indigovolunteers.org/

To support this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/theworldwidetribe

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