By Esther ten Zijthoff | Project Coordinator
Here in Katsikas we are all relieved to see spring arriving and the weather improving after a long winter.
Following our last update in October, Greece went into a national lockdown on 7 November. As of mid-January, Habibi.Works was once again able to open its doors, all the while keeping strict hygiene protocols in place and adhering to physical distancing guidelines to ensure the safety of makers in the space. From 13 March to 5 May the region of Ioannina was classified as a "deep red zone" and Habibi.Works once again closed its doors. As during previous lockdowns, the team on the ground used this time to work on some exciting new collaborations (more details below).
Context Update
While all of us have been affected by Covid-19 and the restrictions that have come with this, the refugee and asylum seeker community is particularly affected by the impacts of Covid-19. The limited access to essential services, delays on asylum procedures, disruption to education and greater difficulty finding work opportunities are particularly challenging for people who found themselves excluded from society already before the beginning of the pandemic. Those living in camps also face a greater risk of infection due to overcrowding and the lack of robust sanitation structures. It is disheartening to see that the reaction of the authorities aims at restricting this community stronger instead of improving their living conditions and thus reducing the risk of infection. Now, more than ever, there is a need for solidarity with the refugee and asylum seeker community.
Compounding the difficulties of being under a national lockdown, the residents of Katsikas camp also experienced violent, forced evictions of families and individuals. On the morning of 14 December, riot police surrounded the camp as police moved into, informing several families and individuals that they would need to leave their containers. Any resistance was met with the use of teargas, violence (using batons) and sound bombs; at least four people arrested. More information on the event, and the profound effects it has had on individuals already in a vulnerable situation, can be found here.
In the week of 12 April, 13 residents of Katsikas camp tested positive for Covid-19. This led to increased restrictions on movement for residents of the camp, with camp security enforcing a total quarantine and informing individuals that if stopped outside of the camp they could face fines of EUR 300. Positive cases were required to quarantine in their containers, while others who shared those containers were also required to quarantine alongside them. One week later, residents of the camp report that the caseload has increased to 43. We continue to question these quarantine procedures which put more individuals at risk. Keep an eye out on our blog for more information.
Grassroots organisations and NGOs working with asylum seeker and refugee communities in Greece continue to face challenges in this context. One troubling development has been the increasing criminalisation of NGOs and civil society organisations. Choose Love (Help Refugees) has reported on the alarming situation - read more here.
Habibi.Works continues to provide regular context updates, overviewing the situation for asylum seekers and refugees in Greece, via our Instagram channel. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook and watch out for our Context Update stories every Saturday.
Exciting new projects in Habibi.Works
In February Habibi.Works took part in the Project for Awesome 2021 competition by submitting a video featuring several areas of Habibi.Works in a unique way. Have a look - or rather, a listen ;) The video was produced by our talented team members Ferdi - who supports the metal, wood and electronics workshops of Habibi.Works - and Mimi, one of the project co-founders and longest-term on-the-ground team member!
Ramadan - a holy month for Muslims around the world, during which individuals fast during daylight hours - began on 13 April. For the duration of this month, we will be highlighting the resilience of the refugee and asylum-seeker community of Kastikas on our social media platforms (@habibiworks) and will be hosting a special Digital Iftar on 5 May. Get your tickets (pay-what-you-can) here.
2021 promises to be an exciting year for collaborations for Habibi.Works! The makerspace is currently witnessing the construction of a brand new workshop area: Re.Works - a plastic upcycling workshop which will see plastic waste turned into beautiful, practical items! The workshop is being set up in collaboration with Precious Plastic Samos and Not for Your Distinction e.V. Beyond becoming a space where individuals can grow their awareness of sustainable practices and the fascinating process of upcycling plastic waste, the workshop area will also engage local communities to clean up plastic in their areas, setting up multiple collection points for everyone to use. Our first community plastic cleanup took place on 24 April; we expect this to be the first of many!
The outdoor gym of Habibi.Works will soon get an upgrade: a new bouldering wall, built in collaboration with Spanish organisation Maika'i.
Later this year, Habibi.Works will be a stop on The Walk with Amal - a "walk of hope" during which little Amal (a life-sized puppet representing a young refugee) will make the journey from Syria to the UK. We look forward to welcoming Amal in Kastikas in late August.
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