After the fire: we still continue to work on the Corona Emergency Program

Stand By Me Lesvos

Times are getting tough here despite all efforts to deal with the Corona crisis. Yes, on the one hand we are trying hard to help managing water, trash and awareness with our partners and it works, on the other hand security around Moria deteriorates daily. The Government has closed down our Academia school in February and after the general lockdown we were unable to provide proper security to our beloved school we have built up since 2018, where in the end, in January, almost a thousand women, children and men had daily classes.

Now the place is looted and destroyed, a lot of material was stolen and robbed during the last nights and finally fire was laid there. Police is investigating and we wait the results, but we do not believe it was arson, but happened during this looting.

No one was injured, but situation on the ground did not allow us to intervene, because these days unfortunately a very small group of thugs from within the camp try to benefit from the situation and loot and rob wherever they can. They spread fear in the camp and we all hope security will be able to deal with them.

This is all the result of the total mismanagement that led to having a camp where more than 20.000 people are forced to live in absolute inhumane conditions.

We mourn the end of Academia but currently we anyhow work on the Corona emergency program and after this is over we will find new ways to start our education projects again.

This is a translation of Stonisis article: “Fire in NGO structure in Moria

A container and a stage of the organization Stand by Me Lesvos burnt for unknown reason.
A fire broke out early in the afternoon at the Stand by Me Lesvos NGO, in the Moria area. The fire caused damage to a container, containing equipment and clothing, which was completely destroyed, as well as a tent. At this point, forces of the Mytilene Fire Department tried to extinguish the fire, the causes of which remain unknown. The facility was reportedly operating as an adult school for the past two years, but was shut down following a decision by the North Aegean Region in mid-February, since it had no toilet. In recent days, there has been no access to the structure nor to its members because of preventive and protective measures to combat the spread of coronavirus.”

Some good news:

Today we start taking care about needy Greek people on the islands too. We received lists of old, poor and vulnerable from the municipality and will buy food and supplies for them. First food bags are already bought and will be distributed in Agiassos today. This is possible thanks to a generous donation from Greeks in Germany. And the wash stations project goes on.