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“I like everything here. It’s nice to come here and talk with the other women. I like the volunteers here.” – Halz, resident in Skaramangas

By: Dolors Font, Our volunteer in Skaramangas, Athens

A refugee camp has very few common places to stay or share with other people, still less if you are a woman and you spend a lot of time caring for your family. It becomes even more isolated if you can’t speak or understand the other languages.

The Mother and Baby space is a warm place where you can stay for a while and have a coffee or tea with other women in same situation. This is a space where babies can play safely that allows women who have fled dire situations to disconnect from the day-by-day duties. But one of the most important roles is that it is a place where woman meet each other in a safe atmosphere, they talk and exchange information about practical issues, their legal situation, experiences, and what to do, facilities of the camp, about caring kids, cooking and they can share their feelings and cheer up each other.

“We love to get out of the caravan sometimes. Every day we come here and get out of the caravan. It’s very nice.” – Mouna, resident in Skaramangas 

They love exchanging stories and pictures with volunteers and asking about their countries, some words in foreign languages, special meals and dances and they also love sharing theirs as well! Of course there is always a lot of laughter and joy in this space, it is a space that brings people together. Twice a week there are informal English classes adapted for their needs. And it’s also a place where women find new friends.

“It’s very good when we can come here and drink coffee.” – Manal, resident in Skaramangas

This space is special in what it provides the women, and in turn they bring all the love and caring they have to it.