Friday, March 3: Visit to Skaramagas Refugee Camp

Post date: Mar 09, 2017 7:2:48 PM

By Masako Watanabe

After meeting with K.K. at the Hellenic Naval War College on Tuesday, he kindly arranged for the domestic and EU refugee groups to visit to a refugee camp, although a visit generally takes several weeks to arrange. They provided transportation and guidance for us to visit the Skaramagas refugee camp, located on the coast, 30 minutes West from Athens. The refugee camp is operated by the Greek Ministry of Migration Policy, and is a temporary home to about 3,000 refugees and asylum seekers, including about 1,200 unaccompanied children, primarily from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Numerous containers (like shipping containers) are arrayed in the camp to house the refugees; other containers function as makeshift offices, a health clinic, and space for volunteers to work. The camp is open--the refugees and asylum seekers can leave the camp if they choose--but is surrounded by a barbed-wire fence and security gate to keep unwanted people from entering.

The Red Cross operates a clinic in a large container with a few doctors and a dentist. We saw about 20 patients, some of whom were kids, waiting for assistance. The Red Cross team consisted of individuals from various countries, such as Spain, to assist the Greek Red Cross. The International Rescue Committee, another NGO, provides formula for babies.

A Drop in the Ocean, an NGO based in Norway that relies entirely on volunteers, provides space for recreation, learning and applying skills (which they painted to look warm and welcoming). They offer three sewing machines that allow women, many of whom sewed in their home countries, to make items like curtains and clothing. Refugees must make reservations to use the sewing machines, which also facilitates their becoming more familiar with time management, a standard in Europe that often differs from the refugees’ home countries. The organization has also created a library with two computers and books in the seven languages represented in the camp. Volunteers explained that they plan to increase the number of computers available, as they allow asylum seekers to explore crucial legal procedures regarding their processing. The organization will also provide a clothing shop within a few months, where refugees can enjoy shopping with what money they have.

Children can access an array of services in the camp. Education is provided for children in certain age groups, while others attend school alongside Greek students in the local community. Construction is in progress to expand classrooms. At the center of the camp, we saw musical instruments, and five children enjoyed a dance lesson in a large warehouse-like building that functioned as a gym. Save the Children provides social workers and psychologists to address children's trauma, and also offers a large, child-friendly space that includes a playground to allow children to run and play.

From my perspective, the camp seemed to provide safe living for refugees and asylum seekers. Unfortunately, however, some refugees and asylum seekers may remain in camps for a longer period of time than expected, which means the camp will need to provide services over the long term. Therefore, the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Migration are working to improve services like education and recreation.