Advance Relief Efforts for Refugees in Greece

18 March marks two years since the EU-Turkey statement was implemented: Two years since Europe outsourced its responsibility for migration to border forces beyond its perimeters; two years since Turkish authorities were sanctioned to use “any necessary measures” to prevent migrants and refugees from reaching Europe; two years since thousands of people were condemned to a state of waiting in Greece.

13,000 men, women and children remain trapped on Greek islands in unsustainable conditions, while nearly 4,000 people have completed the dangerous sea crossing so far in 2018. Some are not so fortunate. In the early hours of 17 March, a wooden boat carrying 21 people sank off the island of Agathonisi. Three passengers made it to shore; the rest, including many children, are dead or missing - a stark reminder of Europe's failure to protect those in need. Meanwhile, over 50,000 people have been waiting for months if not years in camps on the mainland, in a protracted state of limbo that seems more and more permanent.

This is a story that rarely makes the headlines anymore. While thousands wait for Europe to make a decision about their future, they are simultaneously being denied the opportunity to have their say. Through creative projects such as a new stop-motion video workshop, supported by Storytelling Without Borders, Lighthouse Relief hopes to give space to the stories that really count, encouraging young people to raise their own voices in their own way.

Meanwhile, our teams on Lesvos and in central Greece continue to provide support to those who need it the most, standing firm as many other organisations pull out and acting as a watchdog at the borders of Europe.

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In the first months of 2018, the Child Friendly Space has focused on drawing a stronger distinction between the younger group aged 3-5 and a new project for school age children. Both groups engage in craft activities, but the After School Programme is tailored specifically to older participants. The team has conducted extensive outreach within the community in Ritsona to identify needs and address behavioural issues, witnessing some extremely positive results. 

Meanwhile, the team in the Youth Engagement Space has made an extra effort towards gender inclusion by reserving a 'Girls Only' ISO-box once a week, prompting a spike in female attendance. The 5^th edition of the Ritsona Kingdom Journal officially launched on 16 February in Ritsona, as part an event open to all residents of the camp. The occasion was  covered by several media outlets and linked to the launch of the Storytelling Without Borders Project.

Those of you who have followed our work over the last year are aware of our efforts to encourage the children and youth we work with to use their considerable talents to express themselves and share their stories. Through art, writing and photography, youth in Ritsona camp have been inspired to shed light on their personal experiences, revealing their understanding of what being a refugee truly means and of the many, many other parts of their identity that exist simultaneously. 

Building on this experience, Lighthouse Relief was selected to participate in a three-month initiative in partnership with Storytelling Without Borders (StWB). The project guides young refugees in using film and stop-motion animation to communicate across borders and language barriers. The workshops are currently being held in community centres and camp settings in Lesvos and mainland Greece, providing a safe environment for participants to explore their experiences. 

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Since the beginning of 2018, 2,027 people have arrived on Lesvos (UNHCR as of 15 March). This represents a marked increase in arrivals compared to the first months of last year. The total number of refugees on the island as of 13 March stands at 7,381.

So far this year, the LHR team on Lesvos has assisted 1,054 people in landings on the north shore and in the Stage 2 transit facility. This compares to 584 people in the same period of 2017. In the first 11 days of March alone, the north shore witnessed more arrivals than in the whole of March 2017. The mornings of 10 and 11 March both saw multiple arrivals, a situation that had not occurred since November 2017.

As numbers continue to rise, however, more organisations are pulling out of Lesvos or scaling down their operations. LHR is now the only NGO responding to landings on the north shore of the island, and as of April our spotting team will be the only one left operating in the area. For two and a half years, we have provided sustained support to those undertaking the perilous journey to Europe, and we are committed to staying for as long as our presence is needed.

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Today, on the second anniversary of the EU-Turkey statement, we call on you to continue following our work, helping us to provide sustained support to refugees in Greece and promote the voices and creativity of those condemned to a state of extended waiting.

Links:

• LHR Reflects on the EU Turkey Statement
• Huck Article on the Ritsona Kingdom Journal