Refugees II

I was just in the right place at the right time.  A chance encounter resulted in an opportunity to bring some of my students to visit a refugee camp in Athens.  I've worked with people who arrived in the US as refugees since 2010, and been in many homes and at many resettlement agencies, but I've only seen the American side of things.  This was my first chance to see this early stage of the refugee experience.  This is a comparatively small camp, with only 1500 residents (2500 at its height).  We were told that it was built the space of about 15 days to help with the sudden influx of refugees in 2015-16.  There are two refugee camps with more than 100,000 people, and two more with more than  80,000 all in Kenya.  Jordan has one with  over 70,000, and South Sudan and Tanzania both host camps with over 60,000.  So this one is tiny.

People live in what were described to us as "containers" but seemed to be better classified as "portables" in the US.  They housed 5-8 people.  Many had satellite dishes on top, so clearly there is electricity.  About those dishes -- I have known many people who arrived as refugees who learned English through watching movies.  It also allows them to get information about home which would not be shown often on Greek TV.  The small camp includes offices for the UNHCR, as well as a dozen or so NGOs.  They have medical and psychological care, a kindergarten, classes for adults, a field for sports and some places to gather.  I would not call it nice, but it seemed adequate and much better than other camps that I have read about.  The residents have lived here for about 2 years already.  I don't think they are taking new people in.  The goal is that they integrate into Greece, move out into their own apartments or reunite with family elsewhere in Europe, and live productive lives.

Soccer field

Containers are now homes

The residents put up a Greek flag over their door.

Kindergarten with playground

The gathering place on  the left has been decorated with plants.

Many services, including their UNHCR office

It was also a model of an "open camp" where access is controlled in, so the residents are protected, but they are able to leave at will.  The kids go to local schools and the adults are able to seek work.  They showed us a video of a spring event they held that I thought was brilliant.  They worked with teachers from the schools the kids were at to create a dance and musical performance which was hosted at the refugee camp. Both the Greek kids and the kids from this camp performed together. There was food, games and celebration. The community of adults as well as kids got to know each other and to work together.  The local residents were welcomed in to demystify the camp and to emphasize all that the two groups had in common... interest in education, kids the same age, willingness to engage in cultural exchange.

Unlike much of Athens, this camp had very little graffiti, except for this plaintive cry...