Relief for Refugees in Greece's Largest Camp

This report period  began as usual with more women frequenting our female friendly space, teens training on the volleyball team, and toddlers  clamouring to play together in the Little Lighthouse. However, in mid-January, we received notice that we would lose access to the camp at the end of the week. After seven years of continuously providing trauma-informed support people there, it came as a shock. 

The decision by the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum applied to many NGOs providing much-needed services to people living in camps across the country. It intends to make it harder for civil society to support people seeking refuge in Greece, reflecting the growing hostility towards refugees. We are doing everything we can to get permission to resume our activities to support the psychosocial well-being of residents during a period of heightened stress. 

In the meantime, we support the population as best as we can from outside the camp. Every week we bring  kids aged 5-15 from Ritsona to play basketball with Greek peers in the nearby town of Chalkida with a local basketball club. These sessions have been running for one month and receive positive feedback from the kids and their parents. 17 kids attended the first session and 26 the second. After every session more and more families are signing up.

It’s an  opportunity for participants to release stress, interact with Greek peers,  build confidence, and learn key life skills such as teamwork. Additionally, twice per week run activities such as arts and crafts just outside the camp gates. While limited space, proximity to a road, and lack of materials make the setup less ideal than working inside the camp, at least it is a means for us to continue serving residents. We want them to know that we have not abandoned them and will continue to support their well-being however we can. 

We are grateful for your support, especially during this difficult transition and period of uncertainty. Because you care about them, the children of Ritsona can still rely on us for support in coping with incredibly challenging circumstances. 

In Solidarity,

Alana Chloe Esposito

What has been happening in Ritsona Camp?

Refugees and asylum seekers in Ritsona have endured prison-like walls erected around their camps and endured reduced access to food, housing support, and cash assistance while coping with harsh new policies that make it harder to apply for asylum and more likely to be rejected. Nearly two-thirds became ineligible for food and cash assistance. Some parents keep their children home from school to sleep longer and conserve energy. More recently, the camp experiences daily two-hour water cuts, which come at different times every day. Meanwhile the situation for NGO’s is becoming increasingly hostile, the security gate is fully operational and we are the last remaining grassroots NGO allowed to operate in Ritsona Camp. We have stood steadfast in our commitment to provide safe spaces, early childhood development, sport, recreational, and educational activities to children, teens, young adults and women. 

We reopened our Female Friendly Space

Thanks to all of the wonderful donors we were able to reopen our Female Friendly Space, a safe space in Ritsona Camp, where women and girls can gather in comfort to socialise, unwind, and engage in activities without fear. Women from around the world come together to  do henna, manicures, be creative, or simply chat over a warm drink. Located next to Little-Lighthouse, the women can spend time recharging while their children play, dance and learn next door. 

The Camp’s younger residents learnt about health 

Meanwhile, for the camp’s younger residents we launched a healthy living campaign, developing  games that focus on health awareness, and distributing tools to correspond to the session, and distributed a health awareness manual in four languages. We have:

• 350 children attended our health awareness sessions
• We distributed 577 tools, such as tooth-brushes, water-bottles, sponges and soaps.
• Many of the children have begun implementing healthy habits, using water bottles and packed lunches, and telling their parents about what they learnt. 

Through health awareness and sports sessions, the children of Ritsona have opportunities to develop friendships, build resilience, and improve their ability to regulate their emotions.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our efforts to relieve some of the worst effects of forced migration. We are grateful that you have chosen to partner with us on this journey to provide flexible, dignified support to the children and young people of Ritsona camp. 

If you have any questions or would like additional information, don't hesitate to reach out at hoc@lighthouserelief.org.