In these strange days, weeks, months, time seems to stand still…but NGOs in Greece have been working non stop, and the rhythm there has been everything but slowing down: due to the situation imposed by the corona virus many NGOs are struggling with lack of volunteers while children, women and men still arrive on the islands, looking for a safety.
Three Peas has been supporting those NGOs still running on the ground.
These last weeks, as well as our regular programmes, we have focused our support on medical emergency response, food distribution and help move people out of the camps.
Here’s how.
We financially supported the construction of 20 medical huts, each containing four beds for potential patients, as well as medical equipment all in an enclosed ground in the olive grove surrounding Moria camp. If/when the threat of corona passes, these huts can be used as medical facilities for doctors to practice/ school rooms etc. This is a project executed by the coordination of different NGOs on the ground.
Medical Support
We also supplied, before official lockdown made it impossible, MVI (Medical Volunteers International) with medical equipment such as examination gloves, and emergency funds to purchase medicines in local pharmacies.
Street Work
We support the wonderful Wave in Thessaloniki. They supply healthy food, daily, to a sadly increasing number of people in need, whether refugees or locals.
Unaccompanied minors
Finally we have supported the building process of lengthy and costly reunification files for unaccompanied minors in Moria, with the wonderful, efficient and dynamic Together for Better Days. No child should be kept away from his family.
Housing
We are also delighted to announce that the Three Peas/Attika Housing Programme is expanding, and as of this month of May 2020, we support a second property on Lesbos, giving a safe, clean space to a few more guests.
Europe Must Act
You might be interest to look at Europe Must Act, an organisation mobilising countries at a European level, as well as a local one by forming city groups, ‘to decongest the Aegean Islands through fair relocation across Member States, to replace the EU-Turkey Agreement with a fair and humane EU policy on migration and to advocate for dignified and legal conditions of reception across Europe’.
So yes, time seems to stand still, and for us it has ‘only’ been a few weeks. For those in the camps without home, administrative identity, without the possibility of a new start, we can only imagine what those months and years in lockdown must feel like.
Three Peas is really you, our supporters. We are only your messengers, and without your will and support, we do not stand.
Please keep being the kind strangers to those in need, keep supporting us.
Thank you.
Keep healthy and well,
The Three Peas team
And the Kind Book is still here!
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