Executive Director, Founder, and Board Member

As the director of CHEER International Group, Dr. Merewood oversees and manages CHEERing’s work at all levels. Dr. Merewood also directs CHEER, the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research, at the Boston University School of Medicine, and the Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices (CHAMPS) project, an initiative that promotes best practices in maternity care, increases breastfeeding rates, decreases racial and ethnic disparities.

Dr. Merewood is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Boston University School of Medicine and an Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health. She consults for the World Health Organization and UNICEF and is a former consultant to the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Indian Health Service.

CHEERing Associate Director and Board Member; CHEERing National Director, Greece

Farzana coordinates CHEERing’s programmatic work including the FC Barcelona Foundation-funded Sportnet project; CHEERing’s Grow Clinics at Malakasa and Thiba refugee camps, and liaison to CHEERing Afghanistan. She is also a peer counselor and Farsi interpreter.

Farzana has a mathematics diploma, studied first aid and pharmacology in Iran, and is a Board Member of the Greek Forum of Refugees.

Director, CHEERing Football Club and Board Member; Director, CHEERing Afghanistan

Fereidon Rahimi is from Afghanistan and lived in Iran for 38 years before moving to Greece. He directs the CHEERing Football Club and co-manages the CHEERing Sportnet program. He also co-manages CHEERing Afghanistan.

He studied literature and has been involved with football for over 25 years as a player, referee, and coach.

Field Operations Manager and Director of Volunteer Programs

Adrian is originally from Iran. He manages team operations in the field, and directs the student, volunteer, and intern program. He also serves as our interpreter for Farsi and Turkish to English. In addition to being a software engineer, he also manages a website for Cheering. As a refugee himself, he is deeply passionate about helping other refugees

Grow Clinic Peer Counsellor and Interpreter

Pierrette works with CHEERing as a breastfeeding peer counselor and a French and Lingala interpreter. Pierrette came from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to Greece as a refugee and has settled in Athens with her children and husband. Pierrette works at all of CHEERing’s clinic locations with a focus on community-based breastfeeding support in Athens.  

Pierrette studied Nursing for three years in the DRC and had internships at various health institutions, including the Red Cross Hospital, Kinshasa General Hospital, and the Mother & Child Center of Kinshasa.

Consultant

Willow worked for CHEERing for 2 years, managing the volunteer programs and on-site operations in the camps. She is now using these 2 years of experience to consult remotely for the team. 

Originally from the UK, Willow has a master’s degree in Human Rights from the University of Padua in Italy and wrote her thesis on rights of refugee women in Greece. She also has a legal background and has a qualifying law degree from the university of Liverpool. She is passionate about defending and advocating for refugee rights.

European Solidarity Corps Volunteer

Luna holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and has extensive experience in healthcare and community development. She has worked in a children’s hospital in Peru, a maternity ward in Tanzania, and launched a sports program for women in Zanzibar. Since 2018, Luna has collaborated with NGOs in Greece, transitioning from Lesbos to Athens in 2022. She also completed a six-month internship with Youth Healthcare Services in the Netherlands, specializing in child and adolescent health.

Luna is deeply committed to maternal and infant health, striving to make a positive impact in this field.

CHEERing Fellow

Mariah is a public health graduate, who also works for CHEERing’s partner organization, CHEER, in the U.S. as a Project Management Specialist. She came to CHEERing as a fellow during her masters program, and continues to assist CHEERing with social media and data management. Mariah previously supported immigrant and refugee populations in Boston as the Social Media & Communications Specialist and Patient Advisory Council Coordinator at Boston Medical Center’s Immigrant & Refugee Health Center.

CHEERing Afghanistan Program Leader

Samana is a university-trained midwife employed at the Herat Public Hospital. She and Somaye are leading on-the-ground efforts to establish the CHEERing Afghanistan Program in Herat. 

As CHEERing Afghanistan Program Leader, Samana will identify high-need mothers to attend our Grow Clinic in Herat. At the clinic, she and other professionals will weigh and measure babies, give vaccinations, check women postpartum, and provide breastfeeding support as well as a safe and supportive women-only environment. 

CHEERing Afghanistan Program Leader

Somaye is an Afghan-trained doctor at the Herat Public Hospital. Somaye will manage the CHEERing Afghanistan Program in collaboration with Samana and provide support in the Grow Clinic.

CHEERing Afghanistan Program Coordinator

Basira is a student at Herat University studying to become an anesthesiologist. She currently works as a midwife at the Herat Public Hospital. 

Basira will support Samana and Somaye in establishing CHEERing’s program in Afghanistan and support activities at our Grow Clinic in Herat. 

Field Coordinator – Aarhus University Intern

Camille Béboulène is a Human Security Master’s student, with academic interests in health security, migration, and human rights. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, during which she completed an exchange year in Montreal with a focus on medical anthropology and intercultural studies. Camille speaks French and English and has experience working as a lifeguard and swimming instructor, teaching children and promoting safety.

Through her Human Security program in Denmark, she has developed strong competencies in interdisciplinary project design and management , intercultural communication, group work, and conflict mediation. Combining her background in anthropology with her training in human security, Camille aims to contribute to humanitarian and health-focused initiatives in multicultural contexts.

European Solidarity Corps Volunteer

Marianna is an International Social Work graduate with a strong interest on the topics of migration, borders and social justice. She is motivated to continue her academic journey with a Master degree in Migration studies.

She has gained experience in the social work and humanitarian fields across European and international contexts. Her background includes promoting intercultural dialogue in the Netherlands, supporting community development projects in Sri Lanka and working with youth in non formal education settings in Italy.

She has gained experience in border contexts by working on the island of Lesvos for an organization supporting women and children living in the Kara Tepe refugee camp, and volunteered on the French-Italian border assisting people on the move.

Intern – Sciences Po Aix-en-Provence

Eline Girardin is a third year student at Sciences Po Aix in Aix-en-Provence, where she is pursuing a degree in Political Science. She has always been deeply drawn to humanitarian work and is committed to engaging with social issues that affect vulnerable communities.

She has already gained valuable field experience working with refugees in Calais, at the border between France and England. This experience not only gave her a clearer understanding of the realities of migration but also strengthened her determination to promote dignity, solidarity, and social justice through meaningful humanitarian work. She is fluent in both French and English, which allows her to connect with a wide range of people and adapt easily to international environments.

Eline decided to join CHEERing out of a strong motivation to take part in projects that provide direct support to people in need. She hopes to bring her energy and dedication to the team, while also broadening her knowledge, developing practical skills, and continuing to grow both personally and professionally.

European Solidarity Corps Volunteer

Gina is actively involved in the ESC program for CHEERing, where she contributes her energy and enthusiasm to various community projects.

After finishing high school in Germany, she spent one year working in a retirement home in Italy, where she supported daily activities and engaged with residents, gaining valuable intercultural experience. During this time, she fostered a strong interest in social engagement and developed the ability to take responsibility, work collaboratively, and adapt to new environments.

In addition to this, Gina volunteered at a youth center, where she helped to organize events and supported political education for young people. Through her volunteer work she developed important skills such as empathy, management, and effective communication.

Erasmus Intern- Ljubljana University

Živa is an Erasmus intern from Slovenia and holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a master’s degree in Social Pedagogy, both obtained at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. These two degrees have helped her develop an understanding of the needs and challenges that vulnerable groups face, as well as the strategies communities can use to support them.

Her volunteering and previous work experience span from tutoring refugee children in school settings to working with children in the field of museum pedagogy across various museums, and assisting the homeless population at a local association.

Erasmus Intern- Fulda University of Applied Sciences

Foz Jahjah is a Syrian lawyer and human rights practitioner currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Human Rights in Germany. With over ten years of experience in humanitarian protection, community development, and legal advocacy, she has dedicated her career to supporting refugees / IDP, women, children, and other vulnerable groups in various crisis-affected contexts in Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Europe.

Foz’s professional path is grounded in both academic and field experience. Her studies in migration, international law, and social change complement her extensive fieldwork, and she has consistently worked to bridge the gaps between vulnerable communities and the systems meant to protect them. Fluent in Arabic and English, and currently presuing German.
Her recent work with the organization “Cheering” in Athens, Greece, as part of her Erasmus+-supported training, focuses on supporting refugee mothers, infants, and families through translation, communication, and distribution activities. Driven by the humanitarian importance of the migration environment in Greece, Foz aims to deepen her understanding of how human rights principles are practically applied in complex displacement settings. This experience allows her to develop her expertise in protection and the safeguarding of rights within EU policies and laws, while actively contributing to humanitarian work on the front lines.

Based on her unwavering belief in dignity, equality, and social justice, Foz strives to build comprehensive, rights-based solutions within both humanitarian and development frameworks. She is committed to continuing her work in international human rights advocacy.

European Solidarity Corps Volunteer

Silvia has recently completed her degree in International Cooperation and Development at Sapienza University of Rome. Before continuing her academic path, she decided to join Cheering to gain practical experience and contribute to meaningful community projects.

She has attended a training course with UNICEF and another specialized program at Sapienza focused on asylum and refugee protection, which deepened her interest in human rights and social inclusion.

After her Erasmus exchange in Córdoba, Spain, Silvia became fluent in both English and Spanish, further developing her intercultural understanding. Her thesis explored a comparative study on the use of impeachment in the United States and Latin America, analyzing it as a form of institutional power shift.Silvia is eager to keep learning, collaborate with others, and grow through this experience with Cheering.

Erasmus Intern– NLA University, Bergen

Elmedina is from Norway and is finishing her bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Understanding. She has experience from working in kindergartens and in retail, where she learned how important patience, teamwork and communication are. 

She has also volunteered with Kirkens Bymisjon, a Norwegian organization where she joined activities with people from many different countries and cultures. Through this, she discovered how valuable it is to connect with others, share experiences and learn from different perspectives. 

Elmedina joined CHEERing because she wants to do something meaningful and support and help others.

European Solidarity Corps Volunteer

Boris is a cultural anthropologist from the Netherlands, specializing predominantly in intercultural- and humanitarian affairs. He is commited towards matters involving migration and human rights, especially within a humanitarian context.

As part of his studies, Boris spent six months doing fieldwork on the Palestinian West Bank, where he worked alongside several NGO’s operating in Palestinian refugee camps. Together with these organizations he worked on improving educational opportunities for local children. Upon returning to the Netherlands he dedicated himself to assisting asylum seekers, refugees, and other migrants, in various contexts. In the first place by working as a socio-legal counsellor for the Dutch Refugee Council. Most of his career, however, he spent as as a humanitarian coordinator for the Netherlands Red Cross, working in and around asylum seekers’ centre’s and emergency shelters for refugees.

As part of his work, Boris encountered many people whose journey towards Europe brought them to Greece at some point during their lives. Their stories made him decide to join CHEERing, where he is involved in several projects regarding logistics, public health, and medical assistance, for people living in local refugee camps.

European Solidarity Corps Volunteer

Alix holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from UCLouvain in Belgium. For several years, she has been working directly with vulnerable communities — in schools in slums in India, with women who are involved in sexual exploitation and human trafficking in Romania, with Roma communities in Bulgaria, and at the Ukrainian border during the early days of the war.

She has also supported refugees and homeless people in emergency shelters in Brussels and Bucharest. Alongside her field experience, Alix has been involved with the Scouts and Guides of France since childhood. She is now part of the International Partnerships Department.

Deeply committed to human rights, international solidarity, and intercultural understanding, Alix seeks to build bridges between cultures and to promote a vision of the world rooted in dignity, empathy, and genuine encounter.