Lesvos Solidarity
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Mission Statement
Lesvos Solidarity – PIKPA Open Refugee Camp (PIKPA) was born out of the evolutionary nature of the refugee crisis. Since 2012, PIKPA has continued to respond to both humanitarian emergencies and the long-term demands of the biggest migration crisis since the Second World War. In April 2016, when thousands of refugees were stranded on the island, Lesvos Solidarity formally registered as charity. The organisation’s operations depend on the generous voluntary support of local and international individuals and organisations. Our main objective is to stand alongside refugees and people in need through shelter, protection and awareness raising based on the principles of solidarity, respect for human life, on discrimination, non-violence and volunteerism. The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, honoured the heroic efforts of Greek volunteers during the 2015 refugee crisis on the island of Lesvos by giving its Nansen Refugee Award to Efi Latsoudi, Human Rights activist and core team member of Lesvos Solidarity.
About This Cause
In line with our inclusive, community ethos, all those housed at PIKPA are referred to as 'residents'. Our residents are some of the most vulnerable on the island. This includes patients with chronic diseases, disabled people, pregnant women, new-born babies, families, lone women and men. Capacity: The capacity of the camp is 100-120 people, though we have hosted hundreds more during times of emergency. The current population (January 2018) is 101 residents. The fluctuating numbers are influenced by a range of factors including: the duration of asylum applications; the speed of the referrals process; the amount of new arrivals to the island; the conditions in and capacity of other hosting sites; as well as individual and family needs. Since 2012, PIKPA has hosted over 25,000 individuals. Camp life: On camp, PIKPA strives to create an environment that is comfortable for its residents, facilitating both physical and psychological renewal after the trauma of passage from their countries of origin and arrival to Lesvos. We offer: shelter (including furniture, electrical goods and homeware); on site medical care; psychosocial and legal support; transportation, food items to cook meals independently or daily cooked meals for those who need it; seasonal clothes; onsite laundry service; cleaning and hygiene products and other NFIs. With the help of long-term volunteers we also run daily activities for children and adults including language support classes, sport activities and arts and crafts. Shelter: At the time of writing there are 16 wooden houses (four of which were recently constructed in March 2017), three rooms in the main building, six shelters donated by IRC and five Domo tents. The Site Maintenance and Construction team of volunteers and residents work daily to ensure all shelters are adequately prepared for the season. This includes, insulation, winterisation, adding or removing summer shades, structural repairs and electrics. Simultaneously our Housing team conducts surveys of each shelter to ensure household items are fit for purpose, repaired or replaced when needed. Medical Care: The onsite medical team consists of a doctor, a full-time senior nurse and a full- time junior nurse. The team provides a spectrum of medical care on and off camp. Upon arrival all residents receive a medical screening, daily follow up and an adapting nutrition programme. Children’s vaccinations are provided onsite as well as significant support in accessing medical care from the local hospital. We cover the costs of medicines, medical tests, examinations and visits to clinics or the hospital, including transportation. Legal and Psychosocial support: Lesvos Solidarity provides access to legal support, which extends beyond Lesvos Island. We support refugees whose asylum process has been approved by the Greek Asylum Service by facilitating transportation to and accommodation on the mainland. Following residents’ departure, we work closely with other organisations and authorities to handover information about each case including health (physical and psychological) and legal status is handed over effectively. This helps alleviate issues associated with transition and ensures application of correct follow-up. PIKPA has a full-time, onsite psychologist, and offsite specialists in trauma, mental health issues, torture, trafficking and Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) cases. To try and ease the trauma residents might carry, we also offer soft intervention psychosocial support by developing daily routine, giving purpose and distraction and offering opportunities to integrate into camp life and broader Greek society. At PIKPA activities like construction or carpentry workshops, the bread making scheme and garden project give opportunities to learn and share skills and expertise, work alongside volunteers and other residents and actively take part in the community. Our onsite, outdoor gym park and twice-weekly offsite football games encourage healthy living and team activity. Thanks to the efforts of long-term volunteers, this summer we were also able to offer dance therapy and yoga as well as swimming lessons for adults and children. In July 2016 we launched our Support Centre, Mosaik, in Mytilene, Lesvos. Accessible to local Greeks, refugees from all over the island and international volunteers, Mosaik offers language and computer classes, craft workshops, cultural events, choirs for adults and children and our ‘Safe Passage’ bag workshop. These activities develop vocational skills for both refugees and locals based on the foundations of community, integration, awareness and solidarity. Activities, cultural events, workshops and classes as well Mosaik’s comprehensive programme of activities all form part of Lesvos Solidarity’s endeavor to provide psychosocial support to PIKPA’s residents as well the thousands of other refugees trapped on the island. Food: In an effort to empower residents and give back a feeling of dignity, control and family life, we distribute food items such as: fresh vegetables; meat; poultry; fish; milk; cheese; yogurt; tomato paste; rice; pasta; tea; salt; sugar and spices. We distribute 25-30 food baskets three times a week and 300 to 360 a month. Residents have the opportunity to cook food in their shelters or in the camp’s communal kitchen. PIKPA aims to utilise and distribute locally produced goods, using olive oil and dairy products from local cooperatives and vegetables grown by the island’s farmers. The camp’s residents, along with volunteers and staff, participate in cooking lunch in a fully equipped kitchen (40 to 50 meals per day and 960 to 1200 per month). Residents work on a fortnightly rotational scheme to make bread in the kitchen, which is then freshly distributed (100 to 150 pieces of bread are made daily and 2400 to 3600 per month). The bread scheme up-skills, gives a sense of purpose and offers an opportunity to actively participate in camp life. Activities and events: We run a calendar of daily activities for adults and children from language support classes to football programmes to arts and crafts. On camp, our recent regular activities have included construction projects to build new houses, sewing to tailor clothing donations, carpentry and upcycling workshops. Our garden project, developed entirely by volunteers and residents, provides seasonal vegetables and herbs for our kitchen and food distribution spaces. As well as our regular programme of work, we also host special events and seasonal activities. As a community we hold cultural events and celebrate birthdays. This summer alone we were able to offer circus skills training, mandala workshops, swimming lessons, theatre and poetry sessions, women’s coffee mornings, rap classes and movie nights. Solidarity and awareness raising: Lesvos Solidarity actions extend far beyond PIKPA’s gates, to both refugees elsewhere on the island and local Greeks in need. During severe winter conditions in January 2017, we distributed 500 sleeping bags, clothes and tents to refugees in several sites on the island. A small team from Lesvos Solidarity supports refugees on the Southern shoreline when they arrive on the island after crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey. Since the camps inception, we have been active in supporting the local community, distributing food, clothes and other non-food items (NFIs) to Greek families in need. Following the 6.2 magnitude earthquake in June 2017, which left 800 people homeless, PIKPA was able distribute food and NFIs to those affected and even temporarily host a local Greek man whose house was condemned from damage. In addition to emergency aid, Lesvos Solidarity continues to develop actions of solidarity and public awareness in the community and beyond. Team and management: After the EU–Turkey deal (March 2016), refugees were forced to live in Lesvos for longer periods of time. Lesvos Solidarity, then newly formed as an organisation, came to realise the need to hire professionals and qualified staff in order to support the growing needs of PIKPA’s residents. The founding members (all volunteers) along with a group of paid staff exist as the core team of PIKPA. In addition to the core team, the camp works with a large group of international and local long term volunteers to support its day-to-day running. Members of the core team together with each department attend four weekly meetings, in order to deal with the camp’s needs, and decision-making. The four meetings taking place are: Coordination meeting, financial meeting, volunteers’ meeting (camp volunteers with core team), and residents’ meeting (camp residents together with core team members and volunteers). Supporting us: The work of Lesvos Solidarity depends on the support of volunteers and donations from private individuals, donors, and companies. In spite of the drastic increase in new arrivals to the island in the last eight weeks, the departure of large NGOs in July 2017 and diminishing international attention on the refugee crisis means it is increasing difficult to secure funding. If you are interested in support us or have any questions you can contact: Chryssa: fundraisingpika@gmail.com Or Erika: donationspikpa@gmail.com