Refugee Rights Greece Project #60082

Psychosocial Support For Displaced Women In Greece

by Verein SAO

Project Report | Nov 27, 2024
Support for Mothers and their Children

By Zoe Roth | Fundraising Manager

Dear friends and supporters,

We all know that the everyday life of a mother in familiar surroundings can be challenging enough. But what if this everyday life has to be managed in completely unknown surroundings? These are some of the hurdles that clients of our two Day Centres have to overcome.

Standing in line for hours to get food, sharing containers with other mothers and children, and keeping the children occupied during the long wait for an asylum decision; these are just some of the hurdles of the daily life of mother in refugee camps on Lesvos.

Imagine a single mother in Athens who finds herself in a country that is foreign to her. Her day also begins with the morning ritual of waking the children and helping them get dressed. A breakfast, and then the children have to get to school on time. But the routines of the school are foreign, and in supermarkets there are only unfamiliar products labelled in the foreign language, and the financial resources are barely enough. In this situation, mothers hardly find time for themselves. And then comes the day when a child wakes up with a high fever and the local health care system is also foreign.

This is exactly where our Day Centres in Athens and on Lesvos come in. The centres are a safe place and contact point for mothers. Here they can find time for themselves and their own needs. Our dedicated staff members are there to help them overcome the hurdles and, if necessary, refer them to the right addresses and other support services. In the child-friendly environment of the Centres, mothers can find peace of mind. During psychosocial activities such as Art Therapy, mothers and older children can share positive experiences together and work through the past. Further, we also support mothers with supermarket coupons, hygiene items, clothes, and shoes.

Thanks to your support, SAO can offer displaced mothers and their children a safe space!

All the best,

Zoé Roth

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