DISTRIBUTION CENTER
Our International distribution Centre is supporting over 2200 vulnerable people, amongst which there are refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and locals in need. They are originally from countries as diverse as Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea, Yemen, Somalia, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Cameroon, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Palestine, Turkey, Algeria, Kuwait, Bangladesh, Greece, Albania, Romania, Gambia, Bulgaria, Morocco, Haiti and Georgia. We know, we all smile the same.
Our centre is located in Alkamenous 66-68 in Athens - 10 minutes from Attiki metro stations. By the way, check out the next page or click right to find a beautiful story about this street. But coming back to our centre, it offers so many things. We didn't want to make it only look as a mere distribution centre, where the person comes and just picks up a t-shirt. In our centre you find a small cosmos, like a small cafeteria - we always have coffee and water available - as well as a small kindergarten - we have an area where kids can play. It's a lot easier, and we all are parents. We see the hardship of leaving the kids to somebody you don't really know, get on the subway and run here and there to pick up something free since the money are not coming. Speaking about money, the Greek government used to give around 150 Euro per person when the refugee crisis started, back in 2015. Money which are not always available and not for everyone. The Hellenic government has been subject to a major cut, and had to make a major cut, as a consequence - that's the reason why infrastructures are often inefficient, poorly run and overcrowded - so as camps are. Moria camp had only one block of toilets available. A tent for 2 people often accommodates 5. Question where epidemics which y'all fear so much come from.
Speaking of money, Greece is an expensive country. A rent in downtown Athens costs around 300 Euro, plus communal bills.
A room may cost around 150 Euro. Refugees are often denied even a hotel room. Money plus a displaced Ausweis (temporary identity document provided to refugees once they are taken from international waters or once they disembark in Greek territories) do not guarantee a rented room. It is a true fact that refugees often disembark with a bunch of money, but is also a true fact that a consistent percentage of these money is cut as a payment for smuggler fees - those scary faces who find ways in the woods to move people from war countries to a safe place. It is also true that refugees want to move forward - spending a lifetime caged in the Jasmine squat is not so tempting as it looks, anyhow.
So money do always lack. Sometimes money are meant to lack. Finding a job as a stateless is really harsh - imagine doing it whilst living in a tent of Victoria square with no shower, toilet or bed available, and with no language knowledge. At all.
So, we wanted to make it nicer, to cool these people down, when possible. We try to make it a nice place, welcoming.
Our centre is equipped with a computer, so that looking for a job is a lot easier.
Our volunteers and staff are providing language lessons and law counselling, but are always available to take somebody somewhere.
As mentioned before, our centre offers a play space for children.
We do have a waiting place to make the wait relaxing.
Oh, we even have pets.