Reciprocity: the organization’s teams and refugees-beneficiaries offer their support

“It is now important to achieve the right coordination so this aid to be meaningful“, says Antigone Lyberaki, SolidarityNow General Manager

Athens, August 2^nd, 2018

The whole country is overwhelmed by sorrow after the wildfires that struck Attica a few days ago causing many people’s death.  SolidarityNow, with its dedicated field teams, was and continues to be on the side of those affected by the extensive humanitarian and environmental catastrophe responding to their urgent needs.

“As a society, we have shown that we are in solidarity whenever needed – and we must make the most of it. These critical moments, however, the intention to offer is not adequate without its effective coordination. In SolidarityNow we set instantly our people -personnel and volunteers- at the disposal of the affected municipalities so as to contribute to the overall management of needs’ assessment and provided support. And it is very important that this is done based on the value of reciprocity; mixed groups of the organization’s employees, volunteers but also of beneficiaries-refugees who wanted to offer back the support they have received“, notes Antigone Lyberaki, the SolidarityNow General Manager and concludes: “Now that people’s needs are imperative – from housing, psychological support to aid payments etc. – we should not miss valuable time“.

SolidarityNow is in direct collaboration with the affected Attica municipalities, supporting their hard work to effectively manage the aid provided generously by companies, institutional bodies and individuals – Greeks, migrants and refugees – from all over Greece.

In concrete terms, two dedicated teams comprising of the organization’s qualified personnel, volunteers and beneficiaries-refugees are everyday (since July 24^th) in the areas of Mati and Kineta, Attica, contributing to the:

• Needs’ assessment and recording
• Managing of the donations received daily
• Support provided by the organization’s volunteers
• Public awareness and dissemination of the information concerning the current needs, both in kind and in human resources.

Furthermore, SolidarityNow, in cooperation with the Athens Coordination Center for Migrant and Refugee issues (ACCMR) of the Athens Municipality, is the coordinator of the NGO group, set up directly to address the crisis, aiming at recording, updating and reporting needs and collecting and distributing in-kind donations.

In addition, from Thursday, August 2^nd, the SolidarityNow team in collaboration with the Municipality of Marathon will be in the area and at the place indicated by the Municipality to support the fire victims in the process of applying for the social allowances provided to them by the state.

At SolidarityNow, we express our deepest sorrow for the tragedy and death of our fellow human beings from the fires that hit Attica region. The organization, responding to the urgent needs caused by the humanitarian and environmental disaster, offers relief items and supplies whereas a dedicated team is visiting the area to support those who need immediate help.

“With a strong sense of responsibility towards the immeasurable catastrophe experienced by many of our fellow citizens, SolidarityNow stands on the side of those in need in an effort to provide first-aid support and relieve their unbearable pain”, said Stelios Zavvos, the organization’s Chairman.

SolidarityNow in cooperation with the affected Attica municipalities offers necessities to support the victims of fires (packaged food, baby diapers, baby wipes, medicines, sanitation items, water supplies etc.).

A new program entitled “Enhancing the right to education and access to schooling for refugee-children”, funded entirely by the Open Society Foundations (OSF) will be initiated from the new school year in Thessaloniki!

The first part of the project includes the operation of a new day nursery, for children of 2-6 years old, whereas the second part concerns children of 12-18 years old. The training of the latter will be carried out solely by Solidarity Now and will include Greek language and math courses.

World Refugee Day: Empowerment and solidarity through arts and culture

On the occasion of World Refugee Day, we have the pleasure to invite you to a cultural and participatory celebration together with refugees. The event will take place on Wednesday, 20 June, at 7.30 pm, in Technopolis City of Athens (venue: Purifier, D10).

Artistic workshops, painting exhibitions, film screenings, sports, music, food and dancing, with the active participation of refugee communities, will highlight the beauty that lies in diversity and the power of culture as a vehicle for integration and empowerment.

The event’s programme will include:

19:30 pm. – 20:15 pm.

• Screening of short films, created in cooperation with refugees, in the framework of the “Home New Home” project (StoryDoc). This will be followed by a discussion.

20:15 pm. – 21:30 pm.

• Interactive drama workshop by the Greek Forum of Refugees (Chalil Alizada)
• Arts and crafts workshop (HARTS)
• Social Circus (Anasa Cultural Center)
• Cricket demonstration by refugee children (Doctors of the World)
• Painting workshop by Nakam (SolidarityNow)
• Traditional cooking class from Syria, Afghanistan, Africa and preparation of Ethiopian coffee

21:30 pm. – 22:30 pm.

• Traditional music from Syria, Afghanistan and Iran

In addition, the event will include an art exhibition with:

• Art works from children hosted in Estia refugee shelter (ARSIS-Association for the Social Support of Youth)
• Paintings by Faisal (PRAKSIS)
• Paintings by Ahmad, Nakam και Majed Ebraheem (SolidarityNow)
• Awarded entries in the framework of UNHCR’s 2017 National Student Contest about refugees, on the topic “We Live Together”

Participating organizations will offer informational material and visitors will have the chance to sign the petitions #WithRefugees and We are a welcoming Europe.

Free entrance

 

Organized by: Greek Forum of Refugees and refugee communities

• Afghan Community of Refugees and Migrants in Greece
• Burundian Community
• Cameroon Community
• Chinese Community
• Congolese Community

 

• Ethiopian Community
• Kurdish Community
• Nigerian Community
• Somali refugee Community
• Sudanese Community
• The Syrian Roof

Supported by:

Accommodation and Services programme for asylum-seekers, ADDMA, Municipality of Athens

Anasa Cultural Center

ARSIS-Association for the Social Support of Youth

City of Athens Migrant Integration Council

Doctors of the World (MdM)

PRAKSIS

SolidarityNow

StoryDoc

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency

About World Refugee Day

First marked in 2001, World Refugee Day is held every year on 20 June. On World Refugee Day we come together to recognize and honor the strength, courage and resilience of millions of people around the world who have been forced to flee their homes. Every year, on this day, campaign, events and activities are organized worldwide, with the participation of refugees, the general public, local communities, authorities, aid agencies and other organizations.

The program is implemented by SolidarityNow, powered by the Citi Foundation, supported by the IRC and, in collaboration with Knowl

SolidarityNow, implements Business For YOUth –a 40-hour free Υouth Εntrepreneurship training program- in collaboration with the Social Enterprise Knowl, in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and funded by the Citi Foundation under its global initiative Pathways to Progress.

The Business For YOUth program, has already successfully completed its first two cycles. Up to date, 30 participants have been trained in order to learn how they can make their business idea into practice.

“We provide to young people eager to see their dreams coming true, the appropriate skills and tools to achieve it. This becomes feasible through education and entrepreneurship programs that give them the opportunity, they may not have otherwise, to acquire the necessary knowledge and turn their idea into practice; building that way their own new life. We want to see all these young people, in a country still struggling with unemployment and exclusion, to create and bloom. This is our ambition; so humble and yet so enormous“, says Antigone Lyberaki, General Manager of SolidarityNow.

The Business For YOUth program will be completed in fifteen (15) independent cycles with 40 hours of follow-up each, at mid-2019.

Training’s objectives

The training curriculum will provide, more than 300 aspiring young entrepreneurs, with the knowledge, technical skills and guidance needed to develop a viable business idea. During each training cycle the curriculum includes courses for the development of soft skills, entrepreneurship, branding as well as networking with other entrepreneurs, thus encouraging personal guidance and participants’ empowerment.

Business For YOUth invites young people, aged 18-30 years old that are:

• Refugees and Asylum Seekers legally residing in Greece
• Beneficiaries of International protection in Greece
• Migrants with residence permit in Greece and
• Unemployed Greeks

to participate in one of the fifteen (15) training cycles, acquire the skills and dare to envision their business idea in practice!

Read more information about the program and complete the online form at www.solidaritynow.org.

* Participation is free of charge for all participants.

**All participants who manage to successfully complete the training receive a Certificate of Attendance.