Give us a hand at the animal refugium and enjoy the Greek nature lifestyle!

The experience

Come enjoy the beauty of simple Greek lifestyle and help make this healing place more beautiful and functional. This volunteer program is not only but especially suitable for:
- singles
- couples
- people 50+
- people with medical background

High­lights
- Meet Moses the cat and his tribe
- Experience minimalism - and enjoy simple Greek lifestyle
- Make an impact - show us your skills and creativeness

What you offer

28 hours of help per week

Painting & Decorating: Help with painting or decorating the property facilities.

Animal Care: Help look after and take care of animals.

Building & Repairing: Help with a wide range of repairs or building.

Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens

What you get

1 day off per week

Private Room: You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.

Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.

Get free drinks or beverages.: Drink up! Get free and tasty drinks for yourself.

Pick Up: We will pick you up when you arrive, and take you to our property.

Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.

Certificate: Get a certificate of completion after you finish your experience.

Basic Internet Access: Basic speed internet for you to work remotely

Requirements

Fluent English

Between 20 and 70 years old

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

The program is not only for animal lovers and animal caretakers but volunteers who understand and value the project. My name is Marie-Anne. I am a retired bavarian vet. When I first came to Greece I was stunned by all the suffering I saw - in humans, animals and nature. A lot of violence here, maltreating each other seems to be usual. Meaning each spring the strays at the beach are poisoned and killed out of mere despair and lack of knowledge.

My Sanctuary Project is about creating a difference and showing that it is not so complicated to do so. I moved to Greece and rented a little neglected olive groove house nearby my house. First step was to create a livable place there. We now have 50 qm Volunteer House with bath, sleeping room, main room with kitchen, sun terrace and garden. The houses are in a deserted area, no noise, 300 m up the mountain and 2,5 km from the sea.

Activities & Shift

Autumn/Spring Schedule - mandatory tasks each day
7:30 animal feeding, changing the water, cleaning animal plates
8:00 animal care such as grooming, caretaking, walking the dogs, playing together
9:30 Q&A talk with me
17:00 water the gardens
18:00 walk the dogs
19:00 feed all animals, change water
late: let the dogs out to pee before you go to sleep

Other things you can do to help the project
10:30 find yourself work to do in maintenance, painting, repairing, gardening, beautifying according to the list we made for the week or harvesting, planting or weeding anything that needs to be done in the garden according to the list
19:30 cook for yourself and enjoy the roof terrace with the marvellous sunsets we have or light a cozy fire in your wood stove

You are also expected to clean up for yourself and be tidy - you have the vounteer house on your own.

Rules

As said before: essentials are honesty, truthfulness and reliability. We expect you to communicate open and non violent. We prefer quiet and clean people. Neurodivergent people especially on the autistic side of the spectrum are welcome. It is a non smoking area and house, no drugs, no noise, no excess of alcohol. Visits of foreigners in your time here have to be talked about and approved in advance. You are supposed to be at the house each night, as you need to care for the animals.