The desire to live in a beautiful place is universal. It's wonderful to stroll down a scenic driveway, or walk through a lush meadow. Up until a few months ago, the colors that defined Eleonas Refugee Camp in Greece were brown and grey - brown sand coated shoes, floors, and faces. Grey, dull concrete and metal structures made up its infrastructure. Taking matters into their own hands, a group of camp residents decided to beautify their street. They replaced gravel surfaces with a paved concrete path, and built wooden planters to house a variety of green plants. Soft green fabric was draped across the top of the containers to create shade. This "green street" inspired something new - Project Elea! The project has one goal - let the residents of Eleonas Refugee Camp beautify their space however they want! Together with Project Elea leaders, we hosted 6 different pop-up stations, interviewing 88 residents of all different backgrounds and ages to determine the best … [Read more...] about Green Streets
Archives for January 2018
Closing the Curtains
Yesterday, we visited the refugee guesthouses on the island of Lesvos. We're back again today because we noticed something else that needed fixing - there were no curtains. Most of us are used to having privacy when we want it. It's not that you don't want to see your neighbors, it's more that you'd like to choose when you do. But imagine not having that choice everywhere in your home. We wanted to do something to give these newly arrived refugees some privacy. So we put curtains up! The little pops of color really brightened the place up! Now there was privacy, some character, and a true homey feeling to the guesthouses. The curtains from today and rugs from yesterday may not seem like they'd have much of an impact. But now, these families will be able to close the curtains at night, or open them to let the light in. And that simple act, that we too often take for granted, can make all the difference. … [Read more...] about Closing the Curtains
Snug as a Bug in a Rug
When you picture the Greek Islands, what do you see? For most, white-roofed beautiful houses, warm air and the bright shining come to mind. This is very true in the summer. The winter, however, can be a different story. During the colder months even the Greek Islands can get cold, wet, and drop below freezing. And on the island of Lesvos, the guesthouses where refugees stay needed a bit of a face lift to make them suitable for winter. For Day 29, we took the first step toward making that happen. The floors of the Lesvos guesthouses are all tile, and if you've ever walked on cold bathroom tile in the middle of winter, you know exactly why this is a problem! It's COLD! And for refugees who are sometimes missing even the basics, sitting or walking on cold tile is sure to be uncomfortable. The solution was simple: rugs! The rugs make the floors softer, warmer, and cozier. “Mum, look this is like the one we had at home!” a 7-year-old girl from Syria exclaimed. The … [Read more...] about Snug as a Bug in a Rug
Stitching a Community Together
Many different backgrounds and families come together to make up a community. And in Greece, communities are now welcoming more refugees as members of the community than ever before. Our partners in Greece, Communitere, are setting out to bring those from different backgrounds together. One of the best ways to bring people together is through activities and learning - getting out and doing something. Many refugees and locals had have some experience with sewing. So today we're stitching together not only clothes, but friendships as well! Everyone - not matter what their situation – was welcome to Communitere's sewing workshop. Kids were invited. Communitere provided transportation and translation. And beginners? No problem! Communitere purchased four sewing machines, and then everyone got to work! Participants learned how to make cylindrical scarfs, aprons and bags. The exercises helped refugees and locals alike with limited experience to improve their skills. The … [Read more...] about Stitching a Community Together
LED-ing the Way
Communitere’s Winter Workshop brings young migrants and refugees together with locals. They offer a series of creative sessions that provide new skill sets, but more importantly bring the two communities under the same roof - and working on the same projects. Communitere's workshops take on traditional arts and crafts. But the underlying theme was skill-learning - how can we take this opportunity to not only get to know one another and get crafty, but learn some new skills, too? On Day 27, we wanted to teach a fun new way to combine technology and something a lot of people are very familiar with, sewing. LED embroidery was the name of the game - and the participants loved it! There was a chorus of “Your workshop is really fun!” and “Didn’t believe that I could make it!” coming from the participants as they got to work. Refugees and the local community were excited and empowered, ready to take what they learned and apply it to ventures they may already pursuing. A … [Read more...] about LED-ing the Way
On the Market
Today we're at the Winter Workshop in Thessaloniki with our partners in Greece, Communitere. The workshop is a week and a half long event designed to build relationships between the local Greek community and refugees. It's all about learning something new - about forging new relationships, and building new bridges. CAD/CAM - Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing - machines are changing the way manufacturing and design is done. They're faster and more precise, but still need a real person to operate them. So on Day 26, we set out to teach some new vocational skills! Together with Communitere, we're giving a training to teach refugees how to work with CAD/CAM machines. “The market for skilled designers and operators is one that has not yet been saturated in Thessaloniki," said one of the workshop teachers, "especially since a large number of skilled personnel has moved abroad during the financial crisis." “It is difficult, but it's interesting," said … [Read more...] about On the Market
In 3D
3D printing is new to Thessaloniki, which means the market is wide open for skilled 3D printer operators. Our friends at Communitere saw an opportunity. Why not help refugees learn how to offer this skill, and connect them to the local community who may be looking for it? That's what Day 25 is all about. Thanks to a donation by Fablabs, we were able to teach participants how to print in 3D! The projects covered a range of skills - from the practical like printing a broken part of a car seat to the more fun and decorative like making Christmas snowflakes. This workshop opened a door to a new technology, that could very well help refugees not only survive but grow in their new communities. It was an opportunity to lift refugees in Thessaloniki up in a way they haven't before, paving a pathway to the future. … [Read more...] about In 3D
Upcycling and Uplifting
Yesterday we visited the Thessaloniki International Fair with Communitere, our partners in Greece. Today, we're taking a look at even more exciting things happening at the fair - from sculptures to games to craft-making, there was something for everyone. Communitere wanted to use the festival as a platform for cohesion - to get refugees and locals interacting and making connections over their mutual interest in technology and learning. So we set about to help them do exactly that! On Day 24, we gathered refugee and local children and adults to take a moment to get to know their neighbors - and to get their hands dirty. For the kids, we held birdhouse-making workshops at the fesetival. For the adults, we had sculpture-making lessons and group visits to view the art. All the creative activities were centered around one thing - using recycled materials and turning them into art - bird houses and sculptures included! The festival was all about taking something and reusing … [Read more...] about Upcycling and Uplifting
Unlocking Creativity
This year marked the 82nd Thessaloniki International Fair! It's a time for this Northern Greek community to come together to explore advances in science, technology, and the arts. But few people realize the enormous cultural gifts that refugees in Thessaloniki can bring to the table. That's why our partners Communitere wanted to use the festival as an opportunity for refugees to have their voices heard - in a creative way. So on Day 22, we brought together refugees and migrants that live in and around Thessaloniki with a Greek Architecture firm to design and built the chill-out space for the festival! Greeks, Syrians, Nigerians, and Spanish refugees worked together, bringing their unique creative perspectives, overcoming language and cultural barriers. Together, they designed a number of modular installations, reusing and upcycling available material. As participants were working together, solving the practical problems of design and construction, they got to know, … [Read more...] about Unlocking Creativity
Working Out
Working out is important, no matter where you are. It keeps your body and mind healthy. It helps keeps stress levels down, which can be especially important for refugees. In Greece, many of the refugees play football during the warmer months to stay active. But as temperatures decrease, so do the activates that are available. Communitere has a solution to solve these months without sports - a gym! In Nea Kavala refugee camp, there are many adults that don’t have tons to do. “There is the possibility of running gym sessions to create a regular gym group," said Giorgos, one of Communitere's leaders. "With the gym, we hope to create more of a community atmosphere within the camp, which could help relax tensions between ethnic and language groups.” So on Day 22, the team at Communitere designed some outdoor gym equipment! They built a pull-up bar, a double sit-up bench, a weights bench and a pull-down weighted box, as well as some hand weights. The whole project only took 2 … [Read more...] about Working Out