Day 23

1 hour of pedagogical care for a refugee child on Lesbos

Everyday life and normality outside the refugee camp

A space where refugee children are heard and seen

Little Zarah currently lives with her family in a refugee camp on Lesbos, Greece. She spends a lot of time outside the camp playing, where she forms friendships with children from different countries. Her favorite game is "Oqaab," a tag game she knows from her home country, Afghanistan. Zarah loves explaining the rules of the game and introducing her new friends to Afghan culture. In return, she also learns about the culture and games of her new friends.

Through the child care services outside the camp, Zarah and her friends can learn new things, try different activities, and receive meals daily. If they have concerns, they can talk to educators about their fears and receive help, making them feel better afterward. These shared experiences help Zarah build her self-confidence and give her renewed hope for the future.

A space where refugee children are heard and seen

Schauspieler und Musiker Max Alberti über sein Lieblingsprojekt

need

Access to educational care and learning opportunities for refugee children on Lesbos

activity

The Paréa Community Centre offers daily learning opportunities, care and meals outside of the camp for 45 children aged 3 to 12 years

Measurable performance

Number of children who receive a learning opportunity every day and the number of meals distributed to these children through donations

Result

The physical and mental health of children is improved through educational learning and care, which increases the quality of life of the whole family

Systemically relevant impact

Increased trust in educational institutions, promotion of European integration and improved career opportunities for children and their families

background

The camp where Zarah lives is currently overcrowded with 3,400 people (as of March 2024). A large portion of the residents come from conflict countries like Afghanistan, Eritrea, and Syria. 34% of the camp's population are children (UNHCR Greece, 2024). Since the armed conflict in Syria began in 2011, more and more people have been fleeing to Greece via Turkey. After the old refugee camp in Moria burned down in 2020, a new camp was quickly constructed with tents, which is now monitored by the police (UNO-Flüchtlingshilfe e.V., 2023).

The camp is particularly unsafe for children due to poor access to food and healthcare (MSF, 2023). Many children exhibit traumatic behaviors, such as becoming mute or no longer playing with other children (Mogstad, H., 2023). Often, children spend months without educational care or school instruction and remain in the camp all day (UNHCR et al., 2019). The care, learning, and support services outside the camp provide children with a safe space to promote their health and well-being during this crucial stage of development. The care is provided by trained staff in the children's native language, addressing their individual needs. Feedback sessions with parents aim to improve the care offerings while also relieving the family's burden.

The good deed

Through this good deed, refugee children between the ages of 3 and 12 on Lesbos are given the opportunity to be cared for and provided for during the day, away from the camp. With the help of professional child educators, as well as language and cultural specialists, they can play, learn new things, and make friends in a safe environment. Various activities in the fields of sports, music, and art are offered to foster the children's social development and address their specific needs. They also receive healthy food every day.

Since many children are unable to attend school during their time in the camp, the care program offers them the chance to learn valuable skills, such as languages, arithmetic, and writing, which will help them later in school. While the children are being cared for, their parents can access additional services such as language courses or psychosocial support. This improves the quality of life for both children and parents, providing long-term relief for the entire family. Furthermore, it helps ease the situation in the camp and within the refugee communities, as there is a general lack of child care services across the island.

About Greece

Athens

Capital city

10,361,295

population

as of 2023

22,990.0

Gross domestic product per capita per year in USD

as of 2023

0.893

Human Development Index (Human Development Index)

as of 2023/2024

In Greece, all close people are addressed with “παιδιά” (paidiá), which means “children” in English. So instead of “Hey guys”, in Greece people say “Hey kids”.

Sources and further links