Irida: Safe space for 650 women at risk in Greece

"The war started on February 24, 2022. 

Two weeks later, my family and I decided to escape Kyiv. What had happened to Bucha, combined with the fact that our house (in Kyiv) was next to a military base, scared us, and we decided it was unsafe to remain in the city.

My name is Svitlana. I am 32 years old, and I come from Ukraine. 

Before the war, I used to live in Kyiv with my family; my mother, my sister, and my sister's husband. I had a beautiful life that I really loved. I was working as a Social Media Marketing Specialist for the Public Relations and Press Department of an opposing political party; that party does not exist anymore.  

After escaping Kyiv, we did immediately not leave the country. With my mother, my sister, and her husband, we went to another city, in a safer area that was not at the heart of the armed conflicts. However, we could not find anywhere to stay; there were no houses to rent or available hotel rooms to stay.

My sister and her husband found shelter in their friends' house and decided to stay in Ukraine. 

My mother and I decided to flee abroad.

We decided to come to Greece. From 2015 to 2016, I lived in Thessaloniki as an exchange student through the Erasmus Program. I had kept my old landlord’s phone number - I was renting one of his apartments as a student. So I called him and asked whether he had any empty apartments for us to stay in temporarily. Thankfully, he did and offered to keep it available as much as we needed to leave Ukraine and come to Greece.

We left with my car and drove from a city close to the borders of Roumania to Thessaloniki. The fact that we came to Thessaloniki I was familiar with, because I had spent almost a year here, and found a place to stay from the first day we reached Greece made this major change and transition in my life less difficult. 

I have a friend from Ukraine, living in Thessaloniki for many years - I met her during my university years. She is the one who suggested my mother and I should come to Irida. At first, we visited Irida because we just wanted to do something different to take our minds away.  

From the first moment we entered Irida, we felt safe and received so much help and support. We discovered all the activities taking place at the Center and met so many people who were willing to help and address our needs without ever asking for anything back. Very soon, I started Greek lessons and my mother started to learn German.  I was -and I still am- very pleased with my teacher and the quality of the classes.

Every time we come to Irida, my mother and I feel very well; we feel welcome. When you are in a foreign place -a stranger among strangers- you have nowhere to go, no one to talk with. But at Irida, we feel we can be ourselves, take part in many activities, meet new people, and make friends. I discovered new talents and I would have never thought I could unveil new parts of myself through painting. Now, after almost a year as a member of Irida, every Friday, I wait for my phone to ring and receive via SMS the Irida calendar with the weekly activities.

I am currently working remotely for a charity organization helping people remaining in Ukraine. Since the past week, we have been receiving very bad news from Ukraine and everything is unstable. A major part of my work is communicating with people -in Ukraine- who are in danger and need help. Almost daily, I hear tragic stories that make me shallow in sorrow.

I am also searching for job opportunities in Greece. Since the past week, we have been receiving very bad news from Ukraine and everything is unstable. I do not know when we will be able to return, and that is why I believe I have to find work here, in Greece"

Svitlana is an active community member of our community that will start leading the "Arts, Tea, and Community" Sessions to support other women while attends our English Classes getting ready for her ECCE Exams.