Check out our monthly project update for May 2024 at Paréa Lesvos.
The word paréa in Greek means “company, circle of friends”: everyone is welcome in Paréa!
Located within walking distance from the CCAC (Closed and Controlled Access Camp) on Lesvos, our community center Paréa Lesvos offers a safe space where people on the move, locals and internationals can meet and spend time in a peaceful and welcoming environment.
Paréa is run by Europe Cares responsible for the safety, major facility costs, maintenance and development of the center. It is also a home to another 10 civil society organizations: Artists Giving Back, Boat Refugee Foundation, Circus Lesvos, Leave No One Behind, Makerspace Lesvos, ReFocus Media Lab, Refugee Assistance Doro Blancke, Sporos Regeneration Institute, Terra Psy and Yoga and Sport with Refugees. In a time of high political uncertainty and constant withdrawal of support and international attention from Lesvos, our network of partner organizations joined forces to offer people on the move a wide range of services including food and NFI distributions, legal and psychosocial support, education and social care activities. But first and foremost, we offer a sense of community and belonging.
We are one community in solidarity. Will you join us?
View of Mavrovouni Camp from Paréa Lesvos
LESVOS UPDATES
During May, 321 people arrived on Lesvos, whereas more than 900 people left the camp, bringing the camp population to 1,748 people. 50 cases of pushbacks were recorded in the last month, involving 1,226 children, women and men trying to reach safety in Europe.
Since 15 May, access to interpretation in asylum procedures has been significantly reduced. In particular, Metadrasi has discontinued providing the interpretation service at the asylum office and at registrations due to funding issues and delays by the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum. This situation can create huge backlogs in the registration and asylum procedures of people on the move. Following IRC's announcement of the end of the MHPSS program in Lesvos, there are only 3 organisations offering psychosocial care, which is an extremely limited capacity for people experiencing anxiety and other mental health conditions. In addition, although the population in the camp has been decreased in recent months, there are still cases of families sharing their unit with other families, which eliminates any privacy. On the same note, safety issues have been raised with regular reports of women afraid to go to the toilet alone due to lack of security and lighting, as some have been approached for sexual purposes, as well as increased tensions which have led to serious injuries.
Moreover, as summer approaches and temperatures already reach 35 degrees Celsius, concerns are expressed by various actors about the need for fans, mosquito repellents, sunscreen & access to cool water. Even after more than 3 years of the Mavrovouni camp existence, there are still housing units that do not have access to AC units or fans and the camp is still fully exposed to the heat with limited shade around it. Meanwhile, education actors are also expressing concerns about the summer period, as schools will be closed soon and Metadrasi announced the termination of the educational program for children at the end of June.
Finally, the camp management announced that they submitted a plan for improving WASH facilities, which remain inadequate and hot water will most likely be available in winter. On a similar basis, access to food and water remains the same for recognized refugees who are nearly 1,300 people and are being cut off from this process 30 days after their decision, when the extension of this period to at least 2 months is still under discussion in the European Parliament.
MAY IN NUMBERS
Highlight of the month
On 16th May we held a special event for all members of the partner organisations present in Paréa. The gathering was organised to celebrate our community bonds through entertaining
team-building games, a delicious array of food, and traditional dances from several countries around the world. It was a great opportunity for everyone to get to know each other better, enjoy quality time, and learn more about the different people and projects in Paréa.
Faces of Paréa
"I enjoy coming to Paréa because there are many activities. I like to play the guitar, play table tennis, video games, and make new friends here. All of the people are nice and friendly, it's nice to meet them. I learned many new skills and activities, which I enjoy. I advise everyone to come to Paréa because it’s a nice place." Mahmoud — Syria, 26 years old
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Meet our partner: LEAVE NOONE BEHIND
Our partner organisation Leave No One Behind is committed to solidarity at Europe's external borders and other humanitarian crises worldwide, providing immediate relief with food, clothing, medical supplies, and advocacy campaigns. In Paréa Lesvos, Leave No One Behind Greece runs a free shop with hygiene items for single men, a laundry service for men, as well as clothing distribution for men, women, and children.
The provided services are essential as the hygiene situation in the camp remains dire. As Leave No One Behind is the only organisation in Lesvos that provides hygiene and laundry services to men, it makes a valuable impact on improving the hygiene conditions of people on the move.
Welcome to our space: INFO POINT
The Info Point is a shared space for meetings, workshops, legal and educational purposes used by Paréa's partner organisations and other actors present on the island.
On a daily basis, the organisations Defence for Children International, Fenix - Humanitarian Aid, and Lesvos Legal Centre offer legal information sessions, preparation for interviews and representation. This helps our visitors to understand their rights and options and receive up-to-date information on the constantly changing asylum process. Moreover, English classes are held twice a week by one of our partner organisations Refugee Assistance Doro Blancke; designed to strengthen the participants' language skills and enable basic communication in English.
The Info Point is located next to our Free Café. Information posters about each activity are presented in a visible location, ensuring that all visitors are aware of the available services.
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