It has now been a few weeks since I have been working in the refugee camp in Greece. I am in Eleonas Camp, which is on the outskirts of Athens. There had been two other camps (Skaramanga and another) but they have since closed down. Moria Camp is still in existence but they are letting in few NGO’s and pushing back refugees that are trying to make it over the Mediterranean Sea from Turkey.
Eleonas Camp was built to hold 700 people, but now houses around 2,000- 3,000 refugees. It opened in August 2015 and was the first official temporary camp for asylum seekers in Greece, located right next to the animal shelter and the city dump (yes, it smells). Authorities have tried to evacuate refugees and asylum seekers from squats (where I have volunteered previously), and pushed them into this camp and onto the streets. A volunteer from London spoke with me yesterday. He has just returned from the camps in Jordan and Turkey and admits that there is no comparison. The camps in these countries (although considered temporary), are built with genuine shelters, providing privacy and room for gardens for the individuals living in them. They are run like small cities with thousands of people who often work outside and whose children attend school.
Eleonas is the opposite...
It is overrun with people,...living in containers, tents, cardboard and creative wooden shelters...anything to keep out from under the sun and elements. Refugees and asylum seekers are from Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Cameroon, Guinea and many other countries. It is chaotic, without organization, a place for trash, septic problems, periodic electricity issues, and at least 50% young children who have no schooling opportunities. I visited a couple of Afghan families in this camp two years ago (I had met them in Moria Camp 4 years ago), and it seemed to be a totally different place. It was cleaner, more organized, less residents. It is sadly much worse now.
I am spending my days (8 hours a day) either teaching or helping to teach English classes, playing with the children, distributing hygiene products that I’ve purchased (shampoo, toothpaste, hairbrushes, soap, etc). I am also planning my first run to purchase a large amount of undergarments (socks, underwear, t-shirts, etc... mostly for the children). I purchased reading glasses and even reading sunglasses which I brought with me and are a big hit for the elders in the camp who have not been able to read without them. Yesterday I met an elderly man from Nigeria living in the squalor of a cardboard shelter. He is an amputee, in his case from diabetes, and has very limited vision left. He was so so happy to receive the reading eyeglasses which have made it so he has some ability to read documents.
Three nights a week I am joining another small group I met two years ago here. We give out food that we make or purchase to the homeless refugees and Greeks who are living on the street. I’ve run into many of the same individuals that I fed two years back, who actually remember me.
Admittedly, my leg (broken several months back), is giving me a lot of problems. I’m trying to manage it, with icing and anti-inflammatories, but it is quite painful. I’m dealing with this one day at a time.
Thank you all for your support and belief in this work... It means everything to those I’m helping.
Lexine
