ΔΕΛΤΙΟ ΤΥΠΟΥ

WORLD CHILDREN’S DAY: 4,000 children – beneficiaries of SolidarityNow are going to school

Posted on Tuesday November 20th, 2018

Giorgos Moutafis for SolidarityNow

“Our goal is to ensure all children’s right to have access in education”

Athens, February 20^th, 2018

Today, November 20^th, on the occasion of the World Children’s Day, SolidarityNow, focuses on the absolute right of all Children in Education and celebrates with thousands of them who are its beneficiaries, in Attica, Epirus and Northern Greece. Children hosted in structures under the accommodation program, children living in refugee camps and benefiting from the services provided by Children’s & Family Support Centers/Blue Dots and children visiting the organization’s Solidarity Centers.

Up to today and across Greece, SolidarityNow has supported approximately 4,000 children to enroll in school and has offered more than 10,000 free non-formal education activities.

“This World Day is for all of us a reminder of the need to protect children and their rights that are threatened and very often not respected”, said Antigone Lyberaki, General Manager of SolidarityNow. “In a world that is constantly tested, children are the vulnerable population group that needs special protection, and this is for us, at SolidarityNow, a top priority in all our programs. Our main concern is to ensure that the thousands of children that our field teams meet every day will be enrolled in school, attend their classes that may have been violently interrupted in their countries and join the free educational and creative activities that we organize. In a few words, we are trying to ensure that these children will gain back a regularity in their everyday life but also, they will have access to the absolute and universal right to education”.

In SolidarityNow, the protection of children’s rights is fundamental and an integral part of the organization’s vision, consistently with the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child*.

For all those children that their family life was disturbed, the school environment was not a given and have been expelled, the organization intervenes -in addition to securing the provision of accommodation to them and their families- focusing on education, aiming at their development, returning to normality, healthier social integration. Because in SolidarityNow, the inherent right of children to life implies the right to access to education.

“I like it here! Very much! All teachers are very good at me. My favorite lessons are physics and ancient Greek, but when I grow up, I will learn more about the computers I love!” – Ali, 15 years old from Afghanistan. He attends Greek, English, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics courses at the Blue Refugee Center.

In Numbers

Access to education for children aged 5 to 15 of the organization’s programs, in numbers:

Accommodation Program

100% of the children living in the organization’s accommodation structures in Thessaloniki, Ioannina and Tilos are enrolled and go to school (total number of children: 169)
73% of the children living in the organization’s accommodation structures in Athens are enrolled and go to school (192 out of the 264 children)
6,638 training activities have taken place since the beginning of 2017 and till today in the accommodation structures (non-formal education activities).

Child and Family Support Hubs/Blue Dots

600 children have been supported in school enrollment and regular attendance, for the time period November 2017-October 2018.

Solidarity Center & Blue Refugee Center, Thessaloniki

709 children have attended the 3,700 educational activities organized in the Solidarity Center and the Blue Refugee Center in Thessaloniki from the beginning of 2017 until today.

The education process never stops, so apart from providing children with access to formal education, non-formal educational activities are enriched by the organization’s expert teams in order to even more effectively respond to children’s needs by overcoming language and other barriers.

*The UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child on 20 November 1989. The Convention was incorporated into national law in Greece by the Law 2101/1992.

The SolidarityNow accommodation program is part of ESTIA-Emergency Support to Integration & Accommodation program, supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and funded by European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).

The Child and Family Support Hubs project is implemented by SolidarityNow with the support of UNICEF and funded by the European Commission – Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).

Thessaloniki Solidarity Center was established and is supported by the Open Society Foundations. The Blue Refugee Center is supported by the UNHCR and UNICEF and funded by European Commission – Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).

The Shelter that hosts Youth’s dreams

Posted on Thursday October 25th, 2018

Giorgos Georgiou

SolidarityNow embraces young refugees, supporting their way towards

their independent adult life

Athens, October 25^th, 2018

They are young, different and ready to pursuit their dreams! They are the 25 young men, aged 18-22, who live at the Youth Shelter operated by SolidarityNow and the Society for the Care of Minors, in the center of Athens.

A diverse group of people from many countries around the world, whose members live together under the same roof, share the same space, participate in common as well as in different activities and their bond is their shared dream: to become capable and claim a better future for themselves.

The Youth Shelter is now home for young male refugees and asylum seekers who, as adults, are deprived of a living environment, while they previously lived in accommodation facilities for unaccompanied minors; the Shelter offers them hospitality and support during this transition period of their lives – the one that starts with adulthood.

“Until yesterday they were the ‘unaccompanied minors’ hosted in accommodation facilities that operate especially for them. But when they became adults, and in compliance with the current law, these children were obliged to leave their place of residence and make it on their own; either they were ready for that step or not“, says Antigone Lyberaki, the General Manager of SolidarityNow and continues: “In SolidarityNow, with this program for young adults, aged 18-22, we primarily create a safety net by offering them a safe place to stay; a place where they will feel like home. Then, we empower them with all the necessary skills, including educational and professional training actions, to stand on their feet and start their own independent life“.

“I feel that this is my home. I have friends, I go to school, I cook, all these are my home“. This is how the 18-year-old Hamid from Afghanistan describes his stay at the Youth Shelter, while talking to the organization’s Head in the structure about his school achievements. Hamid lives in his new home -the Youth Shelter- since March 2018, when he turned 18.

SolidarityNow undertook the management of the Youth Shelter from the beginning of 2018. Apart from accommodation and food provision, a variety of pro bono services are provided to the Shelter’s beneficiaries:

– Psychosocial support

– Educational activities, with a focus on Greek language courses through the SolidarityNow implementing programs and relevant referrals to community centers – Employability counselling through the corresponding service operated in the organization’s Solidarity Center in Athens

– Medical escorting when necessary and legal support through the respective service operated in the organization’s Solidarity Center in Athens.

Furthermore, and in order to accomplish the above, as well as to enhance the interaction with the local community, many group recreational and cultural activities are organized in the Youth Shelter supporting social inclusion, community sense and self-reliance.

*The Youth Shelter operated by SolidarityNow in partnership with the Society for the Care of Minors and Youth in the framework of the organization’s Accommodation program, is part of the ESTIA- Emergency Support to Integration and Accommodation of the UNHCR and funding by the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO).

We all together said ‘by[e] plastic’ in an Open Day event!

Posted on Friday October 5th, 2018

K_Zirganos-Kazoleas for SolidarityNow

An educational action by SolidarityNow

What happened on Saturday, September 29^th, among three machines, plastic objects and an excited group of people?

Despite the adverse weather conditions at the end of September, 20 people came eagerly and with increased curiosity at the SolidarityNow Intercultural Center “Diadromes” at 11am to learn how to recycle/up-cycling useless plastic materials.

All of them had brought plastic bottles, cups and bags in different sizes and for two hours they were informed and actively involved in a recycling/up-cycling process of plastic material.

After acquaintance between the associates, participants and machinery operators, one of the last presented to the public the categories of plastic, asking everyone then to separate the plastic objects they had brought based on what they’ve learned. The aim was to separate the objects in the different categories of plastic so that with the appropriate techniques the team could transform the plastic objects into something new and creative using the Precious Plastic machines.

And so, it happened.

The process was simple. Participants placed the plastic object in the cutting machine, then into the respective melting machine, and finally, the melted plastic was placed into a mold that had a polygonal shape. The participants welcomed the result of this procedure with great enthusiasm!

Because the result was an object that can be used in many ways: it was a polygonal tile that if painted can decorate a wall or can be utilized, among others, and as a coaster!

With the promise for many other similar actions and open days, the workshop was completed, and all together said ‘Bye’ and ‘By Plastic’, since they initially goodbye a plastic object and then created a brand new one by plastic.

Contact us at education@solidaritynow.org and get informed about the upcoming open day events of the By(e) Plastic program.

*The Open Day event was organized in the context of the educational program By(e) Plastic that is implemented by SolidarityNow, in collaboration with Electra Energy Cooperative and Precious Plastic Greece, while was also linked to the Goal 12 on “Responsible Consumption and Production”, one of the 17 Goals set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the UN, and the event was jointly organized by SolidarityNow and the Hellenic Platform for Development.

**This educational action was implemented in the framework of the lifelong learning initiative entitled “Education Matters”, implemented by SolidarityNow since December 2017, in collaboration with Almasar and the support of the Development Forum.

SolidarityNow invites everyone to a recycling workshop of plastic materials!

Posted on Wednesday September 26th, 2018

We are waiting for you on Saturday, September 29^th, from 11.00 to 13.00, to share with you a unique experience through an awareness and experimentation workshop on the recycling/up-cycling of plastic materials!

SolidarityNow, in collaboration with Electra Energy Cooperative and Precious Plastic Greece, organizes a workshop aiming at raising awareness and providing experimentation on the recycling/up-cycling of plastic materials. The action will take place at the Intercultural Center “Diadromes”, 26, Boukouvala Str., in Ambelokipi, where SolidarityNow offers educational programs open to all, in the framework of the Education Matters initiative, in partnership with Almasar and with the support of the Development Forum.

Take a plastic product with you and see it transformed using cutting, melting and recycling of plastic materials machines! At this open to the public event, the participants will be informed about creative recycling and will have the chance, with the guidance of the experts, to transform the useless plastic materials into something new, inspired and useful!

How? A plastic bag, a plastic bottle, a plastic cup will get a different form and utility with the recycling machines of Precious Plastic Greece and the experts’ guidance.

The action is linked to the Goal 12 on “Responsible Consumption and Production”, one of the 17 Goals set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the UN, and the event is a joint event of SolidarityNow and the Hellenic Platform for Development.

**In the framework of the lifelong learning program entitled “Education Matters”, implemented by SolidarityNow since December 2017, the organization adapts actions that respond to the participants’ everyday needs and enhance their skills set as one of its objectives, access to labor market. Already, during 2017, more than 2,200 people in Athens and Thessaloniki participated at the SolidarityNow programs, mainly to learn the Greek and English languages; numbers have been increasing gradually in 2018.

** The Intercultural Center “Diadromes” is located at 26 Boukouvala str., Ampelokipoi–Gyzi.

Conditions at Moria are “shameful”.

Posted on Thursday September 13th, 2018

Giorgos Moutafis for SolidarityNow

19 NGOs decry conditions at the site, now worse than ever, and call for sustainable solutions to both decongest the islands and improve conditions across first receptions centres in North Aegean Sea.

Athens, September 13, 2018 – Over 17,000 people remain crammed in Greek island reception centers with a total capacity for only 6,000, living in desperate conditions which do not meet humanitarian standards. This, despite public assurances from the Greek Minister of Migration Policy, Dimitris Vitsas, that the islands would be decongested by September and that thousands of new places would be created on the Greek mainland. As conditions continue to deteriorate, 19 civil society organisations once again urge authorities to engage in the creation of sustainable solutions for the decongestion of the islands and to immediately improve reception conditions for refugees. It is nothing short of shameful that people are expected to endure such horrific conditions on European soil.

Moria, the first reception centre on the Greek island of Lesvos, recently described in a BBC report as “the worst refugee camp in the world,” is currently hosting almost three times its capacity. The sewage system does not work, and filthy toilet water reaches the tents and mattresses where children sleep. This, despite funds for sewage system improvement having been approved for some time. Reports of sexual violence and abuse are on the rise. The first reception centre on Samos is six times over its capacity.

In addition, chronic shortages in crucial staff are further exacerbated by the constant resignations of health professionals working in the island sites, who are resigning as a result of untenable working conditions. The Keelpno coordinator on Samos was recently quoted in the Greek press as saying that, despite Greece’s ongoing financial struggles, “medical staff prefer taking the road of unemployment, rather than having to work under such conditions”. Earlier this week, staff at Moria staged a strike to protest conditions at the site. Also this week, the Prefecture of the Northern Aegean described Moria as “unsuitable and dangerous for public health and the environment,” and warned that the site would be closed in 30 days if sanitary conditions are not improved dramatically. In this environment, civil society organisations working on the islands also find it increasingly difficult to do their work.

There is no excuse for the shameful conditions in which thousands of people remain trapped in limbo while they wait out their asylum claims. The Greek authorities must take immediate and urgent action to ensure that refugees benefit from full access to their basic rights and that they are accommodated in dignified conditions, in accordance with national and international law. The relief measures promised by the Greek authorities to create thousands of additional safe and dignified accommodation spaces on the mainland and transfer people off the islands to the mainland must be implemented immediately as a matter of urgency. At the same time, EU leaders should urgently renew efforts to unblock discussions on the implementation of a fair and permanent mechanism of responsibility allocation within the European Union.

SolidarityNow contributes to the coordination of the aid provided to the fire victims

Posted on Thursday August 2nd, 2018

Giorgos Moutafis for SolidarityNow

Reciprocity: the organization’s teams and refugees-beneficiaries offer their support

“It is now important to achieve the right coordination so this aid to be meaningful“, says Antigone Lyberaki, SolidarityNow General Manager

Athens, August 2^nd, 2018

The whole country is overwhelmed by sorrow after the wildfires that struck Attica a few days ago causing many people’s death. SolidarityNow, with its dedicated field teams, was and continues to be on the side of those affected by the extensive humanitarian and environmental catastrophe responding to their urgent needs.

“As a society, we have shown that we are in solidarity whenever needed – and we must make the most of it. These critical moments, however, the intention to offer is not adequate without its effective coordination. In SolidarityNow we set instantly our people -personnel and volunteers- at the disposal of the affected municipalities so as to contribute to the overall management of needs’ assessment and provided support. And it is very important that this is done based on the value of reciprocity; mixed groups of the organization’s employees, volunteers but also of beneficiaries-refugees who wanted to offer back the support they have received“, notes Antigone Lyberaki, the SolidarityNow General Manager and concludes: “Now that people’s needs are imperative – from housing, psychological support to aid payments etc. – we should not miss valuable time“.

SolidarityNow is in direct collaboration with the affected Attica municipalities, supporting their hard work to effectively manage the aid provided generously by companies, institutional bodies and individuals – Greeks, migrants and refugees – from all over Greece.

In concrete terms, two dedicated teams comprising of the organization’s qualified personnel, volunteers and beneficiaries-refugees are everyday (since July 24^th) in the areas of Mati and Kineta, Attica, contributing to the:

Needs’ assessment and recording
Managing of the donations received daily
Support provided by the organization’s volunteers
Public awareness and dissemination of the information concerning the current needs, both in kind and in human resources.

Furthermore, SolidarityNow, in cooperation with the Athens Coordination Center for Migrant and Refugee issues (ACCMR) of the Athens Municipality, is the coordinator of the NGO group, set up directly to address the crisis, aiming at recording, updating and reporting needs and collecting and distributing in-kind donations.

In addition, from Thursday, August 2^nd, the SolidarityNow team in collaboration with the Municipality of Marathon will be in the area and at the place indicated by the Municipality to support the fire victims in the process of applying for the social allowances provided to them by the state.

SolidarityNow on the Side of those Affected by the Fires in Attica

Posted on Tuesday July 24th, 2018

At SolidarityNow, we express our deepest sorrow for the tragedy and death of our fellow human beings from the fires that hit Attica region. The organization, responding to the urgent needs caused by the humanitarian and environmental disaster, offers relief items and supplies whereas a dedicated team is visiting the area to support those who need immediate help.

“With a strong sense of responsibility towards the immeasurable catastrophe experienced by many of our fellow citizens, SolidarityNow stands on the side of those in need in an effort to provide first-aid support and relieve their unbearable pain”, said Stelios Zavvos, the organization’s Chairman.

SolidarityNow in cooperation with the affected Attica municipalities offers necessities to support the victims of fires (packaged food, baby diapers, baby wipes, medicines, sanitation items, water supplies etc.).

SolidarityNow participates in a new educational program targeting refugee children living in Thessaloniki

Posted on Tuesday July 17th, 2018

A new program entitled “Enhancing the right to education and access to schooling for refugee-children”, funded entirely by the Open Society Foundations (OSF) will be initiated from the new school year in Thessaloniki!

The first part of the project includes the operation of a new day nursery, for children of 2-6 years old, whereas the second part concerns children of 12-18 years old. The training of the latter will be carried out solely by Solidarity Now and will include Greek language and math courses.

Joint Press Release: Deaths in the Mediterranean-Civil Society organizations call on European Commission to take action

Posted on Saturday July 14th, 2018

Amidst harrowing reports of increased numbers of drownings due to European Governments’ blocking of humanitarian assistance on Central Mediterranean, rights and aid groups from across Europe come together in a call for decisive action by the European Commission to halt the further loss of lives in the Mediterranean.

In an open letter to the EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Management, Mr. Christos Stylianides, the cross-European organisations call for decisive and immediate measures to stop the unacceptable drowning of hundreds of babies, children, women and men on Europe’s doorstep.

This call to action follows on from a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) report which stated that more than 600 people attempting to cross the Central Mediterranean have drowned or are presumed drowned in the last four weeks due to the absence of NGO rescue boats active on the Central Mediterranean. These deaths represent approximately half of the total deaths in 2018 thus far.

While the European Union and its Member States, following the Summit on 28 June 2018, are seeking a long-term solution to migration and asylum, European civil society actors are demanding that the activities of search and rescue vessels cease to be obstructed, that they are released from their current docking positions, granted access to European ports, and that they are not subjected to fears of criminalisation and legal repercussions due to their rescue work.

In their letter to EU Commissioner Stylianides, these 13 civil society organisations argue that the transfer of responsibility to the Libyan Coastguard to handle the migratory situation in the Mediterranean appears to directly contravene all values upon which the European Union was built. There can be no doubt about the atrocities unfolding on Libyan soil, including rape, extortion, torture and killings, as well as reports of slave auctions.

Quotes

Brian Killoran, CEO of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, said, “Any attempts to address irregular migration on the Mediterranean Sea are too late – at this stage the only focus must be humanitarian and life-saving. We endorse this call for the European Commission to halt further loss of life by not pushing migrants back to Libya and instead focusing on building more opportunities for safe, legal passage for those fleeing conflict and persecution.”

Panayote Dimitras, Spokesperson of Greek Helsinki Monitor, said, “It is high time the EU honours the high values it claims to adhere to and stops being an accomplice, through barbaric acts or omissions, of deaths by drowning in the Mediterranean Sea or of torture in Libya when denying NGO search and rescue vessels to operate legally as individuals attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea.”

Ariel Ricker, Executive Director of Advocates Abroad, said, “The number of deaths in the Mediterranean are rising uncontrollably, as are the blatant and intentional violations of national and international law. Neither is acceptable and both must end immediately.”

Marta Welander, Executive Director of Refugee Rights Europe, said, “The European Union and its member states can and must step in to ensure an interim solution which safeguards the right to life of hundreds of children, women and men at sea. We call on the EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Management to take decisive action and show firm leadership on this seemingly non-negotiable matter.”

Dominique Guibert, President of Association Européenne pour la Défense des Droits de l’Homme, said, “In terms of asylum and migration, the European Union is standing in the shadow of Member States and it is regrettable. We call on the European institutions to at last play a guiding role in the European policy-making and condemn and effectively redress the unworthy attitude of the Member States, who align their migratory policies on those being called for by extreme right parties. The refusal of Member States and the Commission to repeal the Dublin Regulation a serious violation of the rights of individuals, but also a stupidity which traps Member States at the EU external borders in an impossible dilemma, forcing them to choose between receiving thousands of migrants or pushing them back. Because of the Dublin Regulation, the refugee reception system has become purely and simply a means of outsourcing the influx of migrants to countries of first entry, in particular Italy and Greece. If the Mediterranean is so important, this is due to the fact that the road through Turkey has been blocked by the despicable agreement with this country, while cowardly turning a blind eye to Erdogan’s policy that tramples the fundamental rights of so many of Turkey’s citizens. The EU and its Member States must stop treating migrants as ‘hot potatoes’.”

About the letter (click here for the letter)

The letter was sent to EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Management, Mr. Christos Stylianides, on 13 July 2018, signed by 13 civil society organisations working across Europe:

Advocates Abroad
Association Européenne pour la Défense des Droits de l’Homme
Greek Helsinki Monitor
Help Refugees
Human Rights 360
Immigrant Council of Ireland
MEENA Centre for Women and Children
Refugee Info Bus
Refugee Rights Europe
Refugee Youth Service
The School Bus Project
SolidarityNow
Women Refugee Route

NGO statement on the closure of PIKPA solidarity camp

Posted on Wednesday July 11th, 2018

We, the undersigned organizations active in human rights and humanitarian aid, urge the Regional Governor of the North Aegean Region to re-examine her decision to suspend the operations of Lesvos Solidarity in the area of PIPKA on the island of Lesvos.

PIKPA, an open, self-organised solidarity space, has provided essential services and assistance to refugees on Lesvos since 2012. In 2016, the UNHCR awarded the Nansen Refugee Award to one of the co-founders of PIKPA, in recognition of their work saving lives and providing a haven for the most vulnerable during the refugee ‘crisis’ in 2015. We urge the Greek Government to continue supporting the outstanding contributions of PIPKA and the Greek citizens who have displayed thousands of acts of solidarity, humanity and compassion towards refugees. These voluntary acts by ordinary Greek people are a source of national pride and international recognition.

If PIPKA is closed, it is currently unclear where the existing residents would be transferred.

However, returning to Moria would endanger the physical and mental health of the residents and should be avoided at all costs. The authorities should cease transfers of new arrivals to Moria and expedite transfers out of the facility to safe accommodation elsewhere. Immediate improvements to the conditions in Moria must be prioritized to ensure access to safe accommodation and basic services for those forced to reside there.

Taking into account all of the above, the number of reports drawn up by international organizations, including the recent observations from the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as the experience of many of us through our programs on Lesvos since 2015, we call on the Regional Governor to reconsider her decision to close PIKPA.

————————————————————–

Camp Fire Innovation

Caritas Hellas

Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado (CEAR)

Danish Refugee Council (DRC)

Greek Council for Refugees

HIAS

International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS)

Oxfam

SolidarityNow

Terre des Hommes Hellas