Protection from Winter: Moria Refugee Camp, Greece
Donation protected
EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO FOOD, WATER, SAFETY, WARMTH AND SHELTER... yet these basic human rights are unavailable for the thousands of innocent men, women and children waiting in limbo at the Moria Refugee Camp in Lesbos Island, Greece.
I first volunteered at the camp in December of 2018 and learnt the 'real story' about the traumatizing situation on the ground...
Trauma 1: People have experienced unimaginable horrors in their home countries, forcing them to flee to save their lives.
'The lifejacket Graveyard' representing 9,000 lost lives, hopes and dream.
Trauma 2: Lesbos Island in Greece is the first port of entry into Europe, which the 'lucky' ones are able to reach, but only after surviving not just the treacherous crossing of the sea in a rubber dinghy (boat), but also the potential and very real threat of being robbed, and having their boat punctured by the same smuggler they paid their life savings to.
Once they arrive, they are sent to Moria Camp, a 'reception centre' (a detention centre that has been turned into a temporary camp) where they are supposed to be registered, before being sent to the Athens (the mainland) for further processing. Essentially, the government are trying to figure out if they are a 'refugee' escaping persecution, war etc or an 'economic migrant' seeking better opportunities. This process is supposed to take 10 days yet the reality is, people are arriving by the hundreds every week, and the Greek Government, along with the EU do not have the capacity to process everyone as quickly as they are arriving, so the processing time-frame is up to two years.
The barbed wire outside of Moria Camp - the displaced community are free to come and go as they please
But what does that mean for these human beings?
Trauma 3, 4, 5... It means that today, over 16,000 people are stuck in limbo in a TEMPORARY camp that was designed for 3,000 people. (This figure was 5,000 when i was here less than a year ago).
A temporary camp means there is no permanent infrastructure like electricity and running water, let alone housing > everyone LIVES in a tent or isobox or some form of temporary dwelling.
No permanent electricity means there is limited lighting, limited hot water, and no heat.
There aren't enough toilets and showers.
There aren't kitchens for people to cook meals in, let alone boil water for a cup of tea...
People queue 3 times a day for up to 3 hours at a time for breakfast, lunch and dinner - provided by the army so you can probably imagine how basic that is.
I have only scratched the surface of the physiological issues within the camp, let alone the severity of the psychological crisis, yet the bottom line is that the living conditions in Moria Camp are inhumane.
Winter is soon upon us, and with no ability to 'switch on the heating' in their makeshift tents, the consequences of the conditions I mentioned above are amplified to fatal.
I have time off during the Christmas and New Years period in December 2019 and I am returning to Lesbos Island to support Movement on the Ground, a charity that formed in 2015 in response to this humanitarian crisis. With your help, the funds we raise will protect the residents of Moria Camp from harsh winter conditions by providing tents, sleeping bags, yoga mats to sleep on, coats, boots, scarves, socks, warm clothing and other items that are needed on the ground.
Nothing could prepare me for the shock of witnessing the conditions in 2018. During my 4 weeks on the ground, I had countless conversations with the displaced community where I asked "what gives you hope?" The stories I heard were full of acts of kindness towards each other... helping their fellow community members however they could is what gave them hope. This was such a powerful and inspiring reminder of the resilience, grit and UNITY of the human spirit. "I am you. You are me. We are one"
I am grateful for a chance to work with and support Movement on the Grounds efforts to TREAT EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your support.
Zaira
Find out more about Movement on The Ground here: https://movementontheground.com/
See latest coverage about the humanitarian crisis here:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/30/riots-at-greek-refugee-camp-on-lesbos-after-fatal-fire?CMP=share_btn_fb
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/17/aid-workers-warn-of-catastrophe-in-greek-refugee-camps?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&fbclid=IwAR32MP6bA9eFVFl3MhiE0498epL4VKpuYuzjvY61K2lHqXHUcWtme7uLcj4
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/09/oxfam-criticises-eu-inhumane-lesbos-refugee-camp-moria?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
I first volunteered at the camp in December of 2018 and learnt the 'real story' about the traumatizing situation on the ground...
Trauma 1: People have experienced unimaginable horrors in their home countries, forcing them to flee to save their lives.
'The lifejacket Graveyard' representing 9,000 lost lives, hopes and dream. Trauma 2: Lesbos Island in Greece is the first port of entry into Europe, which the 'lucky' ones are able to reach, but only after surviving not just the treacherous crossing of the sea in a rubber dinghy (boat), but also the potential and very real threat of being robbed, and having their boat punctured by the same smuggler they paid their life savings to.
Once they arrive, they are sent to Moria Camp, a 'reception centre' (a detention centre that has been turned into a temporary camp) where they are supposed to be registered, before being sent to the Athens (the mainland) for further processing. Essentially, the government are trying to figure out if they are a 'refugee' escaping persecution, war etc or an 'economic migrant' seeking better opportunities. This process is supposed to take 10 days yet the reality is, people are arriving by the hundreds every week, and the Greek Government, along with the EU do not have the capacity to process everyone as quickly as they are arriving, so the processing time-frame is up to two years.
The barbed wire outside of Moria Camp - the displaced community are free to come and go as they pleaseBut what does that mean for these human beings?
Trauma 3, 4, 5... It means that today, over 16,000 people are stuck in limbo in a TEMPORARY camp that was designed for 3,000 people. (This figure was 5,000 when i was here less than a year ago).
A temporary camp means there is no permanent infrastructure like electricity and running water, let alone housing > everyone LIVES in a tent or isobox or some form of temporary dwelling.
No permanent electricity means there is limited lighting, limited hot water, and no heat.
There aren't enough toilets and showers.
There aren't kitchens for people to cook meals in, let alone boil water for a cup of tea...
People queue 3 times a day for up to 3 hours at a time for breakfast, lunch and dinner - provided by the army so you can probably imagine how basic that is.
I have only scratched the surface of the physiological issues within the camp, let alone the severity of the psychological crisis, yet the bottom line is that the living conditions in Moria Camp are inhumane.
Winter is soon upon us, and with no ability to 'switch on the heating' in their makeshift tents, the consequences of the conditions I mentioned above are amplified to fatal.
I have time off during the Christmas and New Years period in December 2019 and I am returning to Lesbos Island to support Movement on the Ground, a charity that formed in 2015 in response to this humanitarian crisis. With your help, the funds we raise will protect the residents of Moria Camp from harsh winter conditions by providing tents, sleeping bags, yoga mats to sleep on, coats, boots, scarves, socks, warm clothing and other items that are needed on the ground.
Nothing could prepare me for the shock of witnessing the conditions in 2018. During my 4 weeks on the ground, I had countless conversations with the displaced community where I asked "what gives you hope?" The stories I heard were full of acts of kindness towards each other... helping their fellow community members however they could is what gave them hope. This was such a powerful and inspiring reminder of the resilience, grit and UNITY of the human spirit. "I am you. You are me. We are one"
I am grateful for a chance to work with and support Movement on the Grounds efforts to TREAT EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your support.
Zaira
Find out more about Movement on The Ground here: https://movementontheground.com/
See latest coverage about the humanitarian crisis here:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/30/riots-at-greek-refugee-camp-on-lesbos-after-fatal-fire?CMP=share_btn_fb
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/17/aid-workers-warn-of-catastrophe-in-greek-refugee-camps?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&fbclid=IwAR32MP6bA9eFVFl3MhiE0498epL4VKpuYuzjvY61K2lHqXHUcWtme7uLcj4
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/09/oxfam-criticises-eu-inhumane-lesbos-refugee-camp-moria?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Organizer
Zaira Mughal
Organizer
