Today Sana is very happy, not only because she received her certified diploma in the art of onyoplasty, but also because she is celebrating her 22nd birthday. During the small celebration organized by SolidarityNow’s Blue Refugee Center in Thessaloniki for those who successfully attended the manicure-pedicure seminar, Sana has come along with her mother, who feels proud of her daughter.

Sana comes from Pakistan and has been living in Greece for the last 7 months. She speaks fluent English. She has studied mathematics, just like her mother. Actually, she had begun a postgraduate course, but she was unable to complete her studies since she had to leave her country. Her dream is to continue her studies and do a Ph.D. Her mother raised her and her two brothers to love math. “Mathematics is my love”, she states. They say math needs imagination. “Mathematics is a real-life fantasy game. It is real. People believe the unknown x does not exist, but it’s always there, and you need to be open-minded to see it”, she explains.

Sana is a woman of many pursuits and an avid individual. She writes poetry, has a strong interest in literature and wants to publish her own poetry book. She has already pictured herself interviewing journalists for her book. Her willingness to learn Greek and to continue her studies in Greece led her to SolidarityNow’s Blue Refugee Center in Thessaloniki. She was already attending Greek lessons in another structure, but she was not satisfied. Someone spoke to her about the training program implemented by the organization and so she decided to come and enroll in the classes. She initially booked an appointment but, with the Christmas vacation ensuing, the lessons would start later, and this fact discouraged her. Eventually, however, she came and started attending Kostas’ class. “Kostas is a very good teacher, both I and my mother love him very much, like all his students”, she points out.

From 9am till 5pm each Saturday Sana and her classmates went to the “Institute of Professional Development” in Thessaloniki to learn the secrets of the art of manicure-pedicure. As a more positivist mind, she had some hesitations at first on whether she would like the lessons. Basically, she thought they would bore her, but her perspective changed when she started attending the seminars. “I noticed that many women had very neat nails. So, I wanted to know how they did that. I learned a lot of new things. There are so many different techniques that I had never considered. I loved the lessons, our teacher was very nice and I had many pleasant moments with my classmates”, Sana says.

She never missed a lecture; she was one of the first to come to the classroom. Before the lessons, she used to stay home on Saturdays, but the seminars gave a new meaning to Sana’s Saturdays. She now holds her diploma in her hands. “This diploma is my birthday present!”, she says proudly. The goal now is to attain her own beauty salon. Can math be combined with manicure-pedicure? Sana replies yes. “When you work with math all day you feel tired. The manicure-pedicure relaxes me, and I feel like taking care of myself as a woman” she points out to us.

How does life in Greece treat a young girl from Pakistan? Sana replied with a title of a Beatles song: “Here we are free as birds; we can go wherever we want”. The good weather, the friendliness and the smile of the people are some of the main reasons that make her want to stay in Greece. “You never feel alone in Greece; you constantly have people around you, especially in the Blue Refugee Center. Anyone who comes is welcomed with a smile. The staff here has a very strong relationship with people. I cannot find a word that accurately describes this relationship. I realized that the feeling I have developed here is something I lacked back in Pakistan. Everyone feels unique in their lives, and here I have also become unique”, she explains.

Sana is optimistic about her life and her future. She claims that her mother has raised her in a similar manner: “she gave me all her positive energy”. “Even when other people think everything is dark, I say no, there is always a light out there”, she says with confidence, convincing us as well. Listening to her talking about life, we recall the lyrics of a Smiths song, “there is a light that never goes out”.

Closing our vivid discussion, we ask her if she wants to send out a message. She smiles and putting her hands on the table stoically, tells us a well-known phrase that the first Pakistani Nobel laureate physicist, Abdul Salam had said “Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching”. “We are obliged to constantly learn new things and evolve. At first, I thought the seminars would not be interesting, I thought they would be too simplistic. But then I thoroughly enjoyed them. I am very sorry for those who missed the opportunity to attend, but I feel very lucky to have completed the lessons and to hold my diploma in my hands “, Sana concludes.

* The Blue Refugee Center is supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and UNICEF and funded by the European Union Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO).

**SolidarityNow’s Education Program is implemented with the support of UNICEF and the European Union Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO).

Today, SolidarityNow’s Blue Refugee Center (BRC) in Thessaloniki is in a festive mood. More specifically, the team has prepared a small celebration for our 15 beneficiaries who have successfully attended free pedicure-manicure seminars – part of the organization’s educational program. Among the graduates is the 28-year-old Ibrahim from Syria, who learned aesthetician techniques and methods of the upper and lower limbs at the “Institute of Professional Development”, a vocational training center in Thessaloniki. Ibrahim holds his certified diploma in his hands proudly and tells us that he is seriously considering working part-time as a hand and foot care technician.

Even though Ibrahim is very low-key, he can be very energetic and active. He has been in Greece since January of 2018. During this time he has been trying to learn Greek and English and to find a job in every way. In February he registered in the language lessons provided by the Blue Refugee Center, while also seeking support from the center’s Employability Consultant. His teachers have only positive comments on his performance. For Ibrahim, the Greek language is his passport to continue living in Greece. In Syria he studied agriculture engineering whilst also working in the agricultural field. Ibrahim has approached food companies where he has submitted his CV, showing personal initiative. However, in the search for employment, having a degree is not enough, since the knowledge of Greek or English is also necessary. Nevertheless, Ibrahim is determined to learn both languages.

His interest in the pedicure-manicure seminars was accidental. More specifically, he heard some of his classmates in the BRC talking about the seminars and decided to join out of curiosity. But when he entered the secret world of beauty and care, he began to like it. “At first I was curious, but then I liked it and appreciated the beneficial properties of this art. I believe that manicure and pedicure are a matter of hygiene for all, equally for men. I would like to continue my studies on this subject”, he notes. We ask him what he learned through the 60-hour seminar. “I learned to do manicure, pedicure, gel, and various other techniques, such as creating nails and designing them”, he answers. The atmosphere during the lessons – which took place every Saturday – was very pleasant and friendly. Being the only man attending the lessons, it was natural to receive some looks from his classmates. When their teacher Dina split them into groups of two to practice manicure, everyone was gathered to see his job in the hands of his classmate. So, is he good at manicures? “The more we practice, the better we are”, he replies with modesty. “I decided to develop my skills in this art in order to find a job, and I do not care about other people’s opinion” he says.

“In order to stay in this country and have a more stable life I have to learn Greek. The key to everything is language”, says Ibrahim, who has submitted his papers for asylum in Greece. Normally, learning Greek is his first objective, whilst the second is to do a postgraduate and later PhD in Food Technology. There are many people who plan only on receiving their cards and leaving Greece. At first, Ibrahim was one of them, but during his passing, the weather in Greece changed his mind and began to dream of a life here. “The way of life in Greece is very similar to that of Syria”, he underlines. Apart from that, the people here seem to be very friendly and have helped him in many ways to learn Greek, politely correcting him. Ibrahim has not yet made Greek friends, though he would really like it. His favorite word in Greek is “thank you”. “I like this word, because wherever I go, all of us use it. In my country they are not used to saying thank you. I like hearing it”, he notes. Before concluding our interview, we ask him if he wants to send a message to someone. “I want to send a message to my compatriots. We face many difficulties in our lives there, but all this is a valuable experience for us”.

* The Blue Refugee Center of SolidarityNow in Thessaloniki, is supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for UNHCR and UNICEF and funded by the European Union Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO).

**SolidarityNow’s Education Program is implemented with the support of UNICEF and the European Union Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO).

“Can I open my own beauty salon now that I have this diploma?”, Amber asks her teacher. Amber is 33 years old and comes from Pakistan. Along with 14 other people she attended the free manicure-pedicure seminars organized by SolidarityNow in Thessaloniki. Today is the award ceremony and the students have gathered at SolidarityNow’s Blue Refugee Center in Thessaloniki to celebrate their success.

Amber is a force of serenity. She is a calm presence which conceals her dynamism and determination. The way she speaks as well as her personal story is that of person who is not easily discouraged. Amber has been living with her family in Greece for the past 9 months. Her first concern is to learn Greek, which she considers to be a difficult language. She came to the Blue Refugee Center for that very reason. “I want to learn Greek, because I want to stay in Greece and find a job, namely, to open my own business, but also because I want to communicate with people”, she says. Amber has a degree in International Trade studies, and had also started a postgraduate course, which she was not able to complete since she decided to open her own a beauty salon. More specifically, she was a hair stylist.

Amber was informed on the manicure and pedicure seminars through the Center’s Employability Counselor. “I thought it was a great opportunity to learn new things and new techniques. Onyoplasty is fairly artistic, and that’s why I like it “, Amber says. The lessons were held every Saturday and ran from 9am to 5pm. Amber speaks fondly about her learning experience. Aside from the lessons, she had the opportunity to get to know her classmates better. “We learned all the techniques, and beyond that, while practicing on each other, we talked about our lives and past experiences, and I loved it”, she states. The goal now is to find work on this subject and to subsequently own a beauty salon in the future. “I was studying for quite some time to get this diploma and now that I hold it in my hands I’m very excited! Now I want to move to the center of Thessaloniki and find a position as a care technician”, she notes.

It is worth mentioning at this point that this seminar was designed according to the needs of SolidarityNow beneficiaries and corresponded exclusively to refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. “First of all, I want to thank everyone who gave me this opportunity. The fact that I have burnt my fingers made this experience particularly significant for me!”, she says.

When Amber was in Turkey she was working in a factory that designed labels. There she had a serious work accident, which created a second degree burn on the fingers of one hand. She had to come to Greece to have her hand examined by an expert for the first time. “I decided to attend these seminars to take care of my fingers and nails again because, like all women, I am interested in looking beautiful”, Amber explains. “Sometimes people ask me what has happened to my fingers, and I answer simply that everything is fine and I’ve just burned them. For people, appearance plays an important role. Everybody notices the external and does not go beyond that. As people, however, we must look at our inner selves “, she concludes.

“Do you consider yourself to be a positive person?”, we spontaneously ask Amber. “No, I do not. I view things in a negative light. I do not know why, perhaps because of past experiences”, she answers and immediately hastens to change her first statement, saying; “I’m not always like that. Sometimes I believe positive things will happen to me “. From an early age, Amber feels like she has been constantly running or traveling. “All I want from my life is to feel safe and content,” she says with excitement.

* The Blue Refugee Center is supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and UNICEF and funded by the European Union Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO).

** The SolidarityNow Education Program is implemented with the support of UNICEF and the European Union Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO).

beneficiary of the Individual Counselling & Psychotherapy Service,

Athens Solidarity Center

Young M. comes from one of the poorest countries in western Africa. Last summer she visited the organization’s Solidarity Center in Athens for the first time, following the referral by a non-governmental organization that SolidarityNow cooperates with.

Μ. asked for help from the Center’s Counselling & Psychotherapy Service, showing symptoms of post-traumatic anxiety and intense worry.

Why; Because of a sequence of events that she managed eventually to share, after the time it took her to overcome an awkward fear, evident from the first moment. It was clear to the Center’s psychologist that M., while initially unable to share details and moments of her personal history, from the few she was saying but mainly from her non-verbal communication, she greatly sought support.

During her meetings, M.’s developed mental resilience emerged despite her highly traumatic life. M. worked intensively, in collaboration with the expert of the Psychotherapy Service, to strengthen her personality by focusing on here and now – which meant improving her living conditions, as for M. this was a very painful part of her personal narrative.

The positive results of this effort did not take long, and M.’s daily routine changed significantly for the better.

M., started claiming her life from scratch; a legitimate life in which she has an identity, travel documents, access to work. In this endeavour, she won and surpassed what she herself expected. Today, she lives in the house she rented in the center of Athens and with the support of the Solidarity Center’s Employability Service she managed to find work and be able to rely on her strength.

She is no longer the frightened M., as she was in the beginning, but a woman who has managed to bring out many healthy pieces of her personality.

*Μ. is one of the beneficiaries receiving pro bono services provided to vulnerable population groups (Greeks, refugees and migrants) in the SolidarityNow Athens Solidarity Center. Find more about the Athens Solidarity Center: https://www.solidaritynow.org/en/kentro-allileggiis-athinas/.

“We came as refugees and you helped us.

Now it is our turn to do the same as much as we can”, Ossama from Syria

The SolidarityNow teams and refugees-beneficiaries offer their support to the fire victims. Together.

“We cherish life together“, Sadam was saying in Greek, while arranging biscuits, wipes, emptying boxes, carrying food.

Along with him were Ali, Jasem and Ossama.

These four people went to Kineta so as to offer their volunteer work and thus support the victims of the fires that hit Attica on July 23^rd. “We want to help the fire victims and whatever they need, we are ready to offer it“, Ali said. Jasem also underlined his promptitude: “Ready to help every day, whenever they want, I’m ready“!

And according to Ossama this help is a way for them to express their gratitude: “We have come as refugees and you helped us; now, we want to support you as much as we can. We are human beings – we must help”.

For the four refugees from Syria, Iraq and Kuwait, who discussed with the head of the SolidarityNow team that is in the first place in the affected areas, Kineta and Mati, showing solidarity is not obligatory. On the contrary, they believe it is self-evident to help those who are in need. Somewhere in the room, we listen to Sadam keep saying: “We cherish life together”.

The head of the SolidarityNow team in Kineta, Danae Capralos, describes how it becomes apparent that there are no barriers among people, no restraints to express solidarity: “After these two past weeks of shock, anger and sadness due to the deadly fires and having spent most of those past days assisting the teams of volunteers both in Kineta and Mati, having Sadam, Ossama, Ali and Jasem being part of our volunteering team was a breath of fresh air giving way to the feelings of hope, solidarity and humanity. Sadam was our connecting link, as the only one who spoke Greek, but that did not matter once we arrived on site. Their willingness to help surpassed the language barrier and within the first few minutes an effective chain and team was set up reminding us that we are all the same at a time of need, and that it could happen to any of us. After the end of the hard work, the local team would not have us leave without having lunch all together as a team; a good feeling that was felt by all on the drive back. When we left, our four refugees, friends, fellow human beings were satisfied having offered their support to Greek people – “who have welcomed us with warmth”.

These four people are refugees; they have come to Greece to be protected either by the war or by the persecutions they had suffered in their countries because of their religious and political beliefs. The trip to Greece, and therefore to Europe, demanded hard effort and caused pain – but they made it. And today they are in Athens, being hosted by SolidarityNow as beneficiaries of the organization’s accommodation program.

*Sadam, Ali, Jasem and Ossam live along with their families in one of the SolidarityNow accommodation structures in Athens, in the framework of ESTIA-the Emergency Support to Integration and Accommodation program, supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and funded by European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).

Sofia, 51 years old

beneficiary of the Psychological Counseling Service,

 Athens Solidarity Center

Everything started eight years ago. Every aspect of Sofia’s life changed suddenly and rapidly.

At the age of 43 – the 51-year-old Sofia – was a victim of a car accident. As a result, she lost her job and a little while later got a divorce from her second husband and father of three of her four children. Her first marriage had produced her older son, who is 29 years old and today works as psychotherapist’s assistant. Then, there is Angelo, 14, Vasiliki, 12 and the youngest one, Odysseus, 5 years old. “I have dedicated my life to my children”, Sofia tells us as soon as our conversation starts. In that way, she clarifies to herself, as well as others, that behind every decision and action she takes lies the well-being of her children.

“Gorillas in the mist”  

Since she was little, Sofia always put others and their needs before her own. “I always felt that I didn’t belong in the world. In this world that always seemed too cruel for me. I was the girl that helped ants move out of the way, so people wouldn’t step on them. When I was little, I read the book “Gorillas in the mist” by the American Zoologist, Dian Fossey. The story of that woman amazed me. I always dreamed that I could be like her. That I could leave from this closed and selfish environment, and that I will make a change and offer something to a much bigger scale. That I could help the greater good”.

Unfortunately, her dreams did not become reality. As the fifth member of a poor family, Sofia had to fight from a very young age. She graduated from a night school but gave up on the possibility of higher education to become a social worker, because she needed to work as soon as possible and provide for her family and their needs. However, she later learned English and computers and graduated from a school for secretaries.

At the age of 17, Sofia came “face to face with love” as she says. She got married and had a kid. A few years later she divorced her first husband, and attempted to once again chase her dreams. “At the age of 22, I was a single mother. It was me and my son Alkis – we grew up together. I learned how to see the world through his eyes. I could never replace this feeling of understanding and seeing the world through the eyes of my kids”.

A few years later she remarried and became mother to three more children. All these years she worked in an insurance company. Her love for people, extrovert character and lovable personality was all she needed in order to succeed in her work.

The car accident, the discharge, the divorce and health issues.

Suddenly everything changed. The chain effects of a sudden and unexpected event, led Sofia and her children to poverty. It took an entire year after the accident for Sofia’s health to be completely restored. The same however did not happen with her job and she still has not managed to find a job that can provide a good life for her family. At the same time, she began to feel bad in her social life, not knowing why. Finally, she understood. “I was receiving strange behaviors from others. At first, I thought that the reason was my economic state, but it turned out to be something else, something I hadn’t even thought of. They did not accept me. A single mother with three kids, who knows what she has done or who she is in order to be alone. I felt an awful unfairness. Even my son, Angelo was faced with mockery and discrimination at school”.

15 minutes of publicity

The state of Sofia’s family became known to the general public. This happened after her son Angelo wrote an essay about the difficulties he faced as a member of a large family. His essay was awarded in a competition and he received 500 euros. After his success, Sofia was invited by television networks and radios to talk about the problems her family was facing; problems Angelo had described so aptly on his essay.

Sadly, the 500 euros were not enough and soon enough the electric power in their house was cut off and the fame they received from the essay was short lived. Sofia’s main focus was and still is to find work. That’s what she wished for during her appearance on television shows where she spoke about the hardships of her life.

One year at the Athens Solidarity Center

Sofia found herself face to face with two problems which affected both her life as well as the lives of her children: unemployment and social racism.

She could not bear by herself the burden of family obligations, her children’s needs, the endless efforts to find work, as well as social attacks. Mostly, however, she did not want her children to be seen constantly oppressed and angry.

“There comes a time in life where you start suffocating. I was drowning in my constant anger. The time came where I had to ask for help. Today, I can tell my story and I also receive serious help. I am beyond happy with the existence of SolidarityNow’s Athens Solidarity Center because its functions help everyone. I feel very wonderful in the center and have become a member of a multinational community”.

Today Sofia feels better. She talks with the psychologist of the Center and releases her anger and emotions. At the same time she learns how to deal with the social racism she faces because of her role as a single mother of three kids. Her next goal is to find a job. Until then however, she is not giving up. She has received the appropriate support that has activated her, and she can proudly present her artworks! Sofia makes wonderful things with raw materials such as stone and brick, she draws paintings and creates on clay. She has also taken part in the exhibition of Craftsmen of the Municipality of Filis!

Sofia will make it.

And then she will be able to help others beyond her own family, and this will be fulfilment for her dreams. SolidarityNow will be on her side for as long as she needs it.

*Sofia is one of the beneficiaries receiving support services provided to vulnerable population groups (Greeks, refugees and migrants) at the SolidarityNow Athens Solidarity Center. Find more about the Athens Solidarity Center: https://www.solidaritynow.org/en/kentro-allileggiis-athinas/

“When I am singing I feel that I am praying”

We hold Goshen in our arms. He lays his head on our shoulders and observes the world around him. He does not complain. Although he is only 5 months old, he is very calm, like his mother, Sarah. The time passes by and he falls asleep. We realize that this child grows up with a lot of love. Goshen was born in Greece. If the Greek nationality was not given by blood, he would be considered Greek. Sarah comes from Congo. She was eight months pregnant when she arrived in our country.

Sarah is one of the three women of a five-member band, that was formed by the Congolese community in Volvi accommodation scheme. She is only 20 years old, but she does not seem carefree like any other girl of her age. She is a single mother and a refugee. She is quite shy, but at the same time very dynamic and courageous. She traveled alone and despite the difficulties she managed to come to Greece in September 2017. She studied to become a teacher, but she really loves to sing. “I was singing at the church during the liturgy for over 10 years. But at home I was singing different songs”, says Sarah, who prefers gospel music. We ask her who her favorite artists are. “I really like Michele Sardou from France, M’bilia Bel from Congo and Beyoncé”, she replies.

The Congolese community of Volvi created its own church. Following their tradition, they use hymns as prayer. Gospel has roots in the black tradition. It is influenced by the spirituals and the blues. “One day, Richard, who is our pastor, invited me to sing with them”, Sarah tells us. The chorus evolved, new members were added, and a music band was created. “It is not so easy to find a name -for the band- that covers all the trends. We sing gospel but Moria sings different kind of songs. If we continue to sing, we will find one name eventually”, she explains us. The relationships among the band-members are very good. They complement each other. Therese is the most diligent. She is the one who motivates them and tell them to rehearse their songs. Richard is the “leader” of the band. We really wonder how it feels when singing. “When I am singing I feel that I am praying. Singing for me is linked to praying”, says Sarah.

Sarah has applied for asylum in Greece. She has imagined her life here. She has many dreams, but Volvi constitutes a big obstacle. “Life in Volvi is boring. We cannot do anything here. We only eat and sleep. We cannot even think about our future. Only music is a unique activity for us”, she says. “I want to stay in Greece, to learn Greek and English, so I can communicate. I want to study and find a job. I would like to work as a midwife, and I would like for Goshen to become a lawyer”, Sarah concludes.

*Sarah is a beneficiary of the Child and Family Support Hubs program, which is implemented by SolidarityNow, supported by UNICEF, with funding from the European Commission’s humanitarian aid department (ECHO).

**The Organisation Internationale De La Francophonie (OIF) finances French language courses for asylum seekers in Athens and Thessaloniki.

He is waiting to cook for us in this year’s Refugee Food Festival in Athens, on the 20^th and 21^st of June at “Vassilainas” restaurant

Adel began cooking at the young age of 15. He was influenced by his older cousin who was a professional cook. From 2009 till 2013, he was working as a cook in Iraq, his home country, at restaurants with Arabic cuisine.

He believes that cooking is a beautiful process and that every cook dedicates their soul and breath to their food, so that every plate is different and unique.

In his household, every member of the family cooks. Him, his wife and their kids – especially the older ones which were taught by their father, Adel.

His dream is to one day open his own restaurant serving Arabic Cuisine in Athens. His restaurant would serve authentic Arabic falafel as well as other traditional dishes from his home country. He says: “I love it when people try my food and get excited!”

*Adel and his family are hosted in a SolidarityNow accommodation structure in the framework of ESTIA-the Emergency Support to Integration and Accommodation program, supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and funded by European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).