In Skaramangas refugee camp outside of Athens, A Drop in the Ocean has a space where mothers with small children can participate in various activities. At the centre, located in a ISO container, they can wash and bathe their children, change diapers and put on clean clothes. Pregnant woman close to giving birth are issued with maternity clothes and equipment that the baby need the first months. Many come to breastfeed in a quiet environment, and a get a break from life in the camp.
The centre opened in the summer of 2016, and was built with help from Sea of Solidarity.
“Mona” from Mosul in Iraq is one of those who make use of the Mother/baby space. She and her family has been in the camp for nine months, and has issued a small ISO container where they can live while waiting for clarification on the road ahead. Their dream is to go to Norway, where they have friends and family.
Mona and her husband has three children aged two, seven and eleven. While the two oldest are attending school in Athens, she has time to take care of the youngest girl. “She is eager to go to the centre every morning to bathe and play”, Mona says.
The little girl is playing joyfully in the tiny bathtub. It is particularly fun to play with the soap bubbles in the water. Afterwards she gets a new diaper and a clean set of clothes. When daily life is characterised by uncertainty, it is a nice to have some stable points of reference. It means a lot to Mona to be able to use the facilities at the centre. She enjoys sitting in the shade outside while her daughter takes part in the different activities organised at the area outside of the centre. Here, she gets a quiet moment for herself, reassured that her daughter is safe.
The camp currently houses around 2500 people. 1155 are woman. 37% of the residents are children under the age of 12.
A Drop in the Ocean has close to 30 volunteer aid workers in Skaramangas at any given time.
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