title: Exploring the Role of Ad Hoc Grassroots Organizations Providing Humanitarian Aid on Lesvos, Greece.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Syrian refugees displaced into Turkey have attempted high-risk sea migrations to reach safer destinations in Europe, most often initially arriving on the Greek island of Lesvos. These refugees were often in need of basic humanitarian assistance that has been provided in part by a new category of ad hoc grassroots organizations (AHGOs). The aim of this study was to understand the internal and external operations of these AHGOs and their role on Lesvos.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experiences of AHGOs were investigated through a qualitative research design utilizing semi-structured interviews with organization leaders and spokespersons. AHGOs identified through media and social media sources as new Lesvos-specific organizations were purposively invited to complete an interview over phone, Skype or email. Data analysis of the transcribed interviews was performed by Systematic Text Condensation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one organizations were contacted and 13 interviews were conducted. Most organizations were formed in autumn 2015 responding to the greater influx of refugees and migrants at that time and reported an absence of professional humanitarian agencies providing aid on Lesvos. Three categories emerged from the material. Features of organizations; Features of volunteers and; Evolution of AHGOs. The organizations perceived themselves capable of evaluating needs, mobilizing resources, funding and providing quick response. The volunteers came with limited humanitarian experience and from a wide variety of nationalities and professional backgrounds, and the organizations developed while on Lesvos.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge from our findings of AHGOs response to this complex disaster on Lesvos could be utilized in future catastrophes. We conclude that AHGOs may prove effective at providing humanitarian aid in a surge response when international non-governmental organizations are unable to respond quickly. In future complex disasters AHGOs should be recognized as new humanitarian actors and conditions should be made favourable for their operations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and General Practice, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: George Tjensvoll
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Kitching
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and General Practice, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Hanne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: J Haavik
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and General Practice, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Birgit J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Tandstad
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaman
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and General Practice, NTNU, Norwegian University of Sciences and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Darj
keywords: community networks; disasters; emergencies; refugees; surge capacity