Kicked off our morning in Kara Tepe by helping the Because We Carry organization distribute breakfast in the camp. They are an NGO based in Holland that mobilizes a task force of Dutch people and refugee volunteers to deliver breakfast to the residents of the refugee camp. We did not have much of a role in this process because the team was already well established, but we did use this time to connect with the locals and actually engaged in a mini dance party! It was refreshing to see an NGO have a positive impact in the camp given that I had a perception of extensive “red tape,” so to speak, prior to this day.
The majority of my day was concerned with conducting interviews. With the help of our fantastic global partner Maryam, I had the opportunity to meet several Afghanis. Interestingly, most of the people I talked to were men. Not many women came out of their shelters, called containers. Connecting with the men, however, was truly a humbling experience. I learned of their journey – what brought them here, how they go about their days, and what they would like to improve in Kara Tepe. I was honored that they were willing to share so many personal details with me, someone who was a complete stranger to them. We did our interviews justice by mentioning the mission of the class, and emphasizing our intent to remain in camps like Kara Tepe as a group that aims not just to help, but to help in a sustainable manner. The information I gathered was valuable and unfathomable at the same time.
As far as problems in Kara Tepe are concerned, they can be distilled into the following points:
ENERGY, UTILITIES, AND FACILITIES
- Electricity is only available form 12PM – 8PM. When a generator breaks, the family must endure the scorching heat.
- Hot water is rarely available.
- The four wash rooms that are available suffer from poor infrastructure, and many of the bathrooms have broken toilets and taps.
- As far as waste management is concerned, solid waste is collected daily through the efforts of the municipality. Liquid waste enters some form of a sewage system.
SEEKING ASYLUM
- It’s complicated.
- Many people have been in the camp for 6 months, 1 year, and in some cases 2 years. They all have a card that certifies their residence in Kara Tepe, which also allows them to leave the camp occasionally.
- Hiring a lawyer to get your case heard in front of a judge costs 2500 euro, which is incredibly unreasonable and not in the budget of the typical refugee.
- Most asylum documents are in Greek, which makes it impossible for the refugees to read. Moreover, the hearings are also in Greek, meaning that refugees are obligated to hire a translator. This is not always possible and hearings can be delayed for this reason.
HEALTH
- Repeatedly, I heard folks mention that there was no gym in the area. This was a major issue because they would rely on an exercise space in their previous country to manage a healthy lifestyle. A lack of a gym leaves refugees rather bored, especially because there is not much else to do in Kara Tepe.
- There are three ambulances on the island of Lesvos. A local health clinic can connect the ambulance to Kara Tepe in emergency-like cases.
- The clinic also has the capacity to write prescriptions for residents. However, this is problematic because the onus is still on the refugees to purchase the medicine, which is not feasible. So many family members are sick or suffering due to lack of healthcare access.
- Mental health concerns are prevalent in Kara Tepe. Trauma from the journey, uncertainty over the future, and frustration with the current camp all lead to issues like depression, PTSD, and anxiety. Suicide attempts were mentioned in the interviews. Even though a condition may be diagnosed, refugees must still seek out their own treatment independently.
FOOD AND NUTRITION
- 45% of dinner meals provided by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) via the UNHCR are rejected by the Kara Tepe community.
- The IRC has some difficulty ensuring that the meat provided is halal, especially when minced meat is provided. As such, many of the food goes to waste.
- Redistributing the extra food is a struggle for the IRC because they do not want to appear as though they are playing favorites to particular nationalities. As such, sometimes the food is either thrown away or given to the IRC volunteers to keep.
- There is a different menu each day to diversify the meals that are provided, but these meals are not native to the refugees’ cultures. The big sell is that they are completely free.
- Families have 1 hour to cook per day at 2 of the kitchen sites. 15 out of the 30 ovens available are not functional.
LIFESTYLE
- The men I talked to were given 90 euro for the duration of the month as a form of welfare money. They said this amount is only sufficient for approximately 10-15 days, and they struggle to make ends meet afterwards.
- Many of the men try to volunteer with the NGOs to remain occupied (Because We Carry, IRC). There is not much for them to do otherwise.
- Many of the children go to school, but the quality of that education is yet to be determined. From our preliminary conversations it seems that the classes are mostly language-based.
Recording and categorizing this information was useful in that it was an opportunity to reflect in several ways. We determined what some of the major issue areas are. We also learned that we need to ask more questions to identify additional details we have yet to cover. Finally, we do know we need to diversify our survey population as much as possible so that we can acquire many different perspectives.
Today was a productive day from several aspects. I feel energized after talking to the refugees and am honored to hear their story. I even got a few Whatsapp numbers, so I think I have a few more global friends.
Thank you to the people of Kara Tepe for opening your hearts to us. Tomorrow, it is on to Moria.