Project Armonia - a Restaurant for Refugees
Donation protected
In October I volunteered for two weeks on Samos, Greece; an experience which often left me lost for words. Bewildered came to my mind a lot; bewildered by trying to fully comprehend such a forgotten corner of human suffering, by motivations behind administrative decisions not to ease this pain, by the blame and questioning that came before putting out a hand to stop the bleeding. But also inspired; by human connections that cross all borders and the sheer resilience to just keep going. Finally, I was left with a firm resolve not to let all I had witnessed, learnt and felt fade into the background of my consciousness along with all the other pains of the world too hard to bear thinking about. Which leads me here, writing to you, mulling over the maxim “no one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”
Samos is one of five ‘hotspot’ islands where refugees are detained after undertaking the dangerous journey by boat, desperate to reach safety in Europe. They are registered then left to fend for themselves with little or no shelter, sanitation, healthcare, nutrition, distraction or dignity. Some have been on the island for over 2 years, with no idea when their case might be processed – trapped in the seemingly endless cycle of bureaucracy, politics, an overburdened system and a continent that hasn’t stepped up. The camp is 10 times oversubscribed – intended for 650, now exceeding 6500 inhabitants all perched on the side of a hill (and equalling the population of the town it backs onto who are, incidentally, increasingly fed up). Hundreds still arrive every week, yet no extra facilities have been installed and the conditions are beyond dire. One portaloo per 300 people; a hard-line camp manager who destroyed a donation of sanitation units/toilets and refused goal posts for fear of making the camp feel less temporary; standing for hours for unrecognisable food which often runs out, is mouldy or contains maggots; sleeping in a queue to get an appointment for several weeks’ time from the only doctor assigned to the camp; tents washed away in rainfall that doubles that of London; humidity that lets nothing dry; no electricity, running water, or warmth; infection, scabies and nightly rat bites – the list goes on. Such a harsh and inhumane environment leads to fighting and tension; self-harm, even amongst children as young as 4, is increasing; and hope is fading. It’s a scary place to be – no way back, no way forward.
Several amazing NGOs have sprung up in the last year and are doing their utmost to alleviate some of these worsening conditions. One in particular caught my attention, tirelessly tackling the most basic of human needs – nutritious food for the most vulnerable (elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, medical referrals, disabled). I spent a lot of time with the founders of Project Armonia and my respect for their hard work, compassion and humanity only grew. They’ve created a welcoming, friendly environment for people to spend time in each day and receive the calories and nutrients they so desperately lack. They provide Tupperware for those who can’t make the journey. The vast majority of their volunteer force (organisers, runners and chefs alike) are refugees themselves – offering routine, purpose, connection and friendship. They feed 600 people a day and would have the capacity to feed many more, but it comes down to money. On top of that, winter presents new challenges - most of their restaurant is outdoors and they need to buy heat lamps and shelters to be able to continue during the cold, wet months.
I was overwhelmingly impressed with the way four people single handedly confronted such a vast problem with direct action. They don't have the backing of a big organisation and don’t even receive expenses; it couldn't get much more grassroots and money couldn't be better spent. Every penny raised equates directly to more food, more mouths, and more months of operation.
Now I’m no marathon runner. But I do like eating. A lot. So when I came across the Ration Challenge, it felt like an apt one both for me personally and for a restaurant project. It’s based on eating the same rations that Syrian refugees in Jordan are given for a week - not a lot! You can see exact details here , but think paltry quantities of rice, lentils or chickpeas without salt, veg or anything else to make it interesting. Unless, that is, I reach certain fundraising milestones and ‘earn’ a spice or that longed for teabag. Please help!
The Ration Challenge was running for several years before partnering only this year with Concern Worldwide UK. However, as they conveniently provide all the information and resources I need to take this on, it’s only fair that I donate 10% of funds raised to their refugee projects. But all the rest will go straight to Project Armonia. Reaching my fundraising goal would pay for all food for one month. That's 12,000 meals. I plan to do this in January, giving me a month to raise funds, train my stomach, and learn how to cook lentils. Thank you so much for any donations, exposure or cooking tips you can offer!
A note to end on – in Greek, Armonia means Harmony.
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The food people receive from the authorities... we never quite figured out what it was:
Tents stretching up the hill. The central, official camp ran out of space long ago:
Inside the camp:
Inside Project Armonia:
Samos is one of five ‘hotspot’ islands where refugees are detained after undertaking the dangerous journey by boat, desperate to reach safety in Europe. They are registered then left to fend for themselves with little or no shelter, sanitation, healthcare, nutrition, distraction or dignity. Some have been on the island for over 2 years, with no idea when their case might be processed – trapped in the seemingly endless cycle of bureaucracy, politics, an overburdened system and a continent that hasn’t stepped up. The camp is 10 times oversubscribed – intended for 650, now exceeding 6500 inhabitants all perched on the side of a hill (and equalling the population of the town it backs onto who are, incidentally, increasingly fed up). Hundreds still arrive every week, yet no extra facilities have been installed and the conditions are beyond dire. One portaloo per 300 people; a hard-line camp manager who destroyed a donation of sanitation units/toilets and refused goal posts for fear of making the camp feel less temporary; standing for hours for unrecognisable food which often runs out, is mouldy or contains maggots; sleeping in a queue to get an appointment for several weeks’ time from the only doctor assigned to the camp; tents washed away in rainfall that doubles that of London; humidity that lets nothing dry; no electricity, running water, or warmth; infection, scabies and nightly rat bites – the list goes on. Such a harsh and inhumane environment leads to fighting and tension; self-harm, even amongst children as young as 4, is increasing; and hope is fading. It’s a scary place to be – no way back, no way forward.
Several amazing NGOs have sprung up in the last year and are doing their utmost to alleviate some of these worsening conditions. One in particular caught my attention, tirelessly tackling the most basic of human needs – nutritious food for the most vulnerable (elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, medical referrals, disabled). I spent a lot of time with the founders of Project Armonia and my respect for their hard work, compassion and humanity only grew. They’ve created a welcoming, friendly environment for people to spend time in each day and receive the calories and nutrients they so desperately lack. They provide Tupperware for those who can’t make the journey. The vast majority of their volunteer force (organisers, runners and chefs alike) are refugees themselves – offering routine, purpose, connection and friendship. They feed 600 people a day and would have the capacity to feed many more, but it comes down to money. On top of that, winter presents new challenges - most of their restaurant is outdoors and they need to buy heat lamps and shelters to be able to continue during the cold, wet months.
I was overwhelmingly impressed with the way four people single handedly confronted such a vast problem with direct action. They don't have the backing of a big organisation and don’t even receive expenses; it couldn't get much more grassroots and money couldn't be better spent. Every penny raised equates directly to more food, more mouths, and more months of operation.
Now I’m no marathon runner. But I do like eating. A lot. So when I came across the Ration Challenge, it felt like an apt one both for me personally and for a restaurant project. It’s based on eating the same rations that Syrian refugees in Jordan are given for a week - not a lot! You can see exact details here , but think paltry quantities of rice, lentils or chickpeas without salt, veg or anything else to make it interesting. Unless, that is, I reach certain fundraising milestones and ‘earn’ a spice or that longed for teabag. Please help!
The Ration Challenge was running for several years before partnering only this year with Concern Worldwide UK. However, as they conveniently provide all the information and resources I need to take this on, it’s only fair that I donate 10% of funds raised to their refugee projects. But all the rest will go straight to Project Armonia. Reaching my fundraising goal would pay for all food for one month. That's 12,000 meals. I plan to do this in January, giving me a month to raise funds, train my stomach, and learn how to cook lentils. Thank you so much for any donations, exposure or cooking tips you can offer!
A note to end on – in Greek, Armonia means Harmony.
----------------------
The food people receive from the authorities... we never quite figured out what it was:
Tents stretching up the hill. The central, official camp ran out of space long ago:
Inside the camp:
Inside Project Armonia:
Organizer
Emily Oliver
Organizer
England
