#help for refugees in molyvos
11.10.2015 between eftalou and skala sikamineas, lesbos/greece.
this photo shows a beach, about 20 minutes after a rubber dingy had reached the shaw. it is a place where you have to climb up to a dirtroad and then walk for 30-40 minutes. the person on this photo is a photojournalist from italy that worked on the island several times. right now lesbos is kind of calm on the surface, no boats came during the last days as far as i know. it was very windy, but the weather was warm. we ask ourselfs on the island what causes the stop, if it´s the turkish coastguard or police, or the high presence of navi vessels on the water. maybe it is just the wind, or they have no boats right now. we don´t know. on the other side it is getting hefty here under the surface. a lot of volunteers suffer from the low action, feeling not needed here. the goverment and political pressure is getting stronger as well. the camps are officially run by the military now, a lot of the food distribution will come from them as well, at least that is the new plan. the lifeguards spend time on the beaches waiting. frustration. the thing is, every one here knows that there are 2.5 million or more syrian refugees in turkey, another estimated 2 million refugees and immigrants and most of them want to, need to come, because there is no future for them in turkey. the western military analysts now think that assad actually going to win the war against the people of syria this year with the help of russia. so there will be no way in the future for the syrian refugees to go back to their home, it would be suicide. i guess another 500.000 to 1.000.000 syrians will flee in the next month from syria for the very same reason. same time europa close its gates, planing to use greece virtually as detention camp, while the country itself is falling even deeper into crisis. we know, they will come, somehow. if not to lesbos, chios, kos, samos, they will find other, even much more dangerous ways. the number of more than 4000 dead refugees last year will skyrock, but they will come. there is no other choice. there is nothing left for them, for their children. they deserve a future!
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ON THE ROADSIDE
08.02.2016 near skalochori, lesbos/greece. facing all this intense moments within the refugee situation on lesbos, it is sometime almost hitting you how beautiful this island can be. there is actually a good reason why it is so popular among tourist that seek for nature beauty, birdwatching and to come to ease. this part of the island is still there, even if some of it is now facing this crisis, but even in these parts of the island you just go around the next corner, stop and think: “wow, thats beautiful!”
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31.01.2016 harbor of mytilini, lesbos/greece. i met juval while we where both waiting for the ferry to turkey. he is from switzerland and had been on the island for quiet some time. one of his projects was building up the tea-tent at the moria camp and gives donation to groups and projects he beliefe´s in. he´s also a passionate photographer and a true humanitarian. the photo captures the moment before we introduced ourself to each other. we where waiting on the inside area of the harbor, on the other side of the fence in the open area of the harbor where some hundreds of refugees waiting for a ferry to athens. this girl, maybe 10 years old, was kind of playing with us and took his camera to take a few shots. it is a funny thing, even if we share friendship with more than 50 people on the island, we actually never met before. it is kind of a small island, because most of the stuff is happening in a few places, but being here for some month, it is not for granted that your way´s will cross. i am happy our´s did finally when he wen´t of for a holiday.
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30.01.2016 the hope center elpis, between eftalou and molyvos, lesbos/greece.
this afghan kid was one of the first refugees arriving at the hope center elpis. thekempsons and the volunteers provided some toys in the welcome and food area. it was a joy watching the kids playing with it, knowing that most of them might never really had the chance for a normal childhood so far, since they come out of war-zones and refugee camps, where this kind of “luxury” is not existing. this girl got herself some toys and went out to the terrace, to play with it.
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30.01.2016 the hope center elpis, between eftalou and molyvos, lesbos/greece.
philippa and eric kempson are artist who live here on the island and longterm activist since the refugee crisis on lesbos. the hope center elpis is their new project, a transit camp, based in an old hotel at the beach between eftalou and molyvos. with the help of many ngo´s, private organisations and foundations they where able to rent the hotel, which was closed for 7 years. during the last weeks they started to reconstruct the hotel, it is still in progress. today the first group of refugees arrived there and will probably stay overnight, since all the camps on lesbos are full because of another ferry strike in greece. the association of ther hope center work together with several other groups on the island, like a drop in the ocean, dirty girls of lesbos islands,starfish,lifeguard hellas and others. as far as i understand the concept it is a transit camp for the refugees to stay for a few hours, getting some dry cloth, medical attention, food, the possibility to use showers and sanitation and if it´s needed they can stay even overnight. since it looks like 2016 will even see a bigger number of refugees will come to the island, this camp will be needed for sure. actually we will much more of this facilities on the island.
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