36 Academia team members • 34 Academia teachers • 2 Security members • 1500 Academia students • 6 classrooms • 54 classes a day • 12 Moria Academia Team members • 10 Moria Academia classes in old Moria • 600 students in old Moria • + 1000 students supported through SBML’s support of community schools in old Moria • 7 Moria Academia classes in the new camp • 250 students in the new camp • +320 students supported through SBML’s support of community schools in the new camp • 1 partnership with School of Second chance of Mytilene for Greek classes • 2 classes per week • 30 students attending each Greek classes until March • 20 students attending each Greek classes in September • 1 teacher training program • 30 teachers trained • 1 online school program • 8 online classes • 75 online students • 1 first aid training program • 120 participants to first aid training • 1 sewing factory • 26 sewing women • 70 000 cloth masks • 12 000 bags

3 open letters to Europe • Over 500 interviews of SBML and partners • Over 200 team members in MA, MWH, MWH groups • 9 awareness campaign • 10 200 posters and flyers hung up • 5 languages • 3 recycling stations in Old Moria camp • 1 300 000 empty water bottles recycled in old Moria camp between April and September • 108 000 cold bottles of water given to camp residents through the recycling program between April and September • 350 tones of rubbish collected in old Moria between April and September • 2 recycling stations in the new camp • 1 440 000 empty water bottles recycled in the new camp between October and December • 60 000 dirty bottles of water collected • Over 25 000 various items (food and hygiene) given to camp residents through the recycling program between October and December • 4 zones inside the new camp covered by electricity team

1.2.1 Set up of Moria Corona Awareness Team (MCAT) and Moria White Helmets (MWH) self run structures

All human beings depend on the environment in which they live. A safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment is integral to the full enjoyment of a wide range of human rights, including the rights to life, health, food, water and sanitation.

OXFAM 2008 Report on « Domestic and Refugee Camp Waste Management Collection & Disposal » underlines the importance of an effective and solid waste management in emergency situations from a health and environmental point of view. They expose the risks from the absence of solid waste management (for instance : fly breeding within waste, flies are disease transporting vectors; Mosquitoes breed in blocked drains and discarded cans, tyres and other items, mosquitoes are vectors for malaria, dengue, lymphatic filariasis and yellow fever amongst others; Rats find shelter and food in waste, they live and breed in and around waste, and are again a disease transporting vector). 

 The camp residents receive food and water on a daily basis from different actors. For instance, every person receives 2 bottles of water per day. With more than 7 000 camp residents living in abyssal conditions, it is thus not surprising to see loose packaging and bottles in the streets. 

In this sense, there is a high need for an efficient waste management – collection of waste and recycling empty bottles –  in order to 1. Improve the living conditions of camp residents 2. facilitate their access to standards human rights. Further more, the living conditions inside old Moria camp and inside the new camp make the implementation of preventive measures to fight Covid-19 difficult. Stand By Me Lesvos was reporting that access to water was the main obstacle to the application of basic hygiene measures such as hand washing.  Indeed, in the former camp of Moria, there was 1 water point for 1,500 people, often without soap.  Furthermore, in terms of prevention or health rules, asylum seekers had to manage on their own. The lack of efficient waste management in the camp and the Covid-19 outbreak led some refugees to form themselves in self organized groups in order to collect rubbish inside and outside the camp, to raise awareness on the virus itself and the rules implemented by the Greek authorities. Moria Corona awareness team was in its birth composed Afghans and Syrian nationals. Two weeks later, the Syrians of MCAT separated from MCAT and became an independent structure called the MWH. SBML thus supported MCAT and MWH to set up democratic transparent structure with internal management.

Officially operational on the 15th of March. We could read on MCAT Facebook page : « We want to inform you that we have created the Moria Corona Awareness Team (MCAT) here in the camp to deal with non medical issues related to Corona Crisis. We are consisting of representatives from different communities, our team hast pharmacists, teachers and many other professionals »

1.2.2 Beginning of activities

On March 30, we obtained the license from the Municipality and camp management  to enter and to transport trash from the camp three times a week. This was a very big step forward. By the end of March, 15 MWH already started to collect rubbish inside the camp. We supplied them with boots, rubbish bags, gloves. The activity rapidly reached medias. « Medium » website was successfully reporting that the system was aiming to « provide more drinking water and support the environment. »

Meanwhile, MCAT and MWH organized their first awareness campaign after 3 greek locals were tested positive to Covid 19.We printed awareness posters in 4 languages (Arabic, Farsi, english, French). More than 1000 were hang up inside and outside moria. By the MCAT team composed of 12 members at this time. Omid,  the coordinator of MCAT was explaining to Info migrants : « We decided to gather and launch this initiative to  increase the camp residents’ awareness of the dangers of the virus and ways to prevent it. Our awareness-raising activity is mainly focused on informing people about ways to prevent the someone is infected with the infection » This first campaign has been successfully covered by a German media « analyse & kritik », by Yahoo finances, Info migrants , Euractiv, the Guardian ; Spiegel (Germany);  Press Portal (Germany); Jungle World (Germany);  and others.  

1.3.1 Team members

As MCAT, Moria Academia and MWH were developing by the end of March, SBML were setting up a project in order to support the team members of this organizations to improve their living conditions and to acknowledge their hard-work. SBML started to implement it in April. (See Part II- 1.3)

1.3.2 Security and awareness at Lidl supermaket 

Starting in March 2020, MCAT and MWH members were assisting in security in « Lidl » : Greek supermarkets are considered problem places for the application of preventives measures limiting the spread of Covid-19. The Moria Corona Awareness Team and SBML started organizing a system to manage Lidl : every day team members from MCAT will help the supermarket with security at the entrance and regulate the flow of people that was coming into the shop. This project stopped in March due to the lockdown. This project was covered by « Mission Lifeline » channel on Vimeo., and reported by « Barron’s » webpage : « In the past week, refugee groups have also created different language teams denoted by a badge — white for Arabic, blue for Dari and Farsi — to organise orderly access to local supermarkets for the various nationalities in the camp. »

2.2.1 Open letters

In the beginning of April, MCAT and MWH wrote a letter to the European Union, Governments in Europe and for the European public to address several issues regarding the living conditions inside Moria  : water (sewage/toilets, showers, and taps), trash, isolation, food supply/food line, hygiene/disinfection, fire protection, security, awareness and education. This appeal rapidly gained political attention in Germany, and was for instance published by the German Newspaper Der Tagesspiegel. That was a great outcome as SMBL encourages its partners to express themselves on the international scene.  One month later, in May 13, our partners from the camp, wrote a second letter to Europe. This second time the German daily Tageszeitung published the call together with a long interview with Omid Deen Mohammed from MCAT.

https://taz.de/Aktivist-ueber-Zustaende-im-Camp-Moria/!5681846/
https://taz.de/Fluechtlingslager-in-Griechenland/!5681845/

2.2.2 Recycling project 

The Recycling project  had become permanent and sustainable in April 2020. Until October it was operating through MCAT team.  The principle is the following : camp residents pick up plastic empty bottles and bring them to the recycling point. For every 10 bottles, one receives a ticket and can exchange it in for items depending of their needs (cold water, juice, milk, potatoes, onions, hygiene items for instance). During this time period, SBML bought 500 bottles of cold water every day to Agritelis company to be exchanged through hr recycling program. From April to June 2020, there was 1 recycling point outside Moria next to the entrance and Mcat team was receiving between 10 000 to 12 000 empty bottles a day. MCAT members were working 6 days a week at this recycling station and increased from 8 to 20 team members. Since June 2020, one a week, two MCAT members are holding a workshop to raise children’s awareness on how to re use empty bottles to prevent it to go waste (fabrication of toys for instance).

How SBML is supporting the recycling project ? 

• SBML is organizing  the transport of empty bottles from the camp to a waste disposal center through a contract with the Greek company « Vasilis Agritelis ». From there, the bottles are being packed and shipped to Athens to be melted and recycled.
• SBML is buying the items that are exchanged at the recycling points against empty bottles. SBML is providing the material needed for the project such as gloves (around 1000 pairs of gloves per month), masks, rubbish bags, badges that permit to identify the team members, outfits, cards that will be used as a ticket to exchange a bottle against an item. 
• Accountancy is also covered by SBML in the process of fundraising, 

2.2.3 Rubbish collection project 

The collection of rubbish is carried out by Moria White Helmets (MWH) in cooperation with the municipality in old Moria camp, MWH members were collecting rubbish 3 days a week from 9am to 12pm for a total of 50 tones of waste a month. MWH team expanded from 15 team members in March to 30 in April, up to 70 in June. SBML supply the necessary equipments (gloves, masks, rubbish bags) and organize the transportation of the waste from the olive groves next to Moria camp to the waste disposal center. We also provided incentives (market cards) for team members as well as the coordinator’s phone. Finally, we provide accountancy and fundraising activities. 

2.2.4 Development of awareness campaigns 

From April to June 2020, SBML provided materials for 3 MCAT campaigns. On May 26, MCAT and MWH launched a campaign to raise awareness of Moria Camp refugees about waste and recycling. SBML printed the posters in 5 languages and our partners have hung , more than 1 000 posters and flyers. 

• Beginning of April we provided new waterproof posters to MCAT team. This  campaign was aiming to raise awareness about Covid within the camp. One of MCAT team then reported that everyone in the camp was aware of Corona because of this campaign, and that they try to do whatever is possible and many help spreading the message.They are made by a German designer and printed in Lesvos in  5 different languages. We decided to add the Greek language (Farsi, Arabic, English, French and Greek). As this posters were bigger than the previous one, we printed less:  around 500-600 posters.
• On the 9th of May,  SBML provided 4000 flyers that were distributed in 3 days by MCAT members.

SBML provided MCAT t-shirts and coveralls for the team members. SBML is supplying masks and gloves at the recycling points inside the camp as well a disinfection. While team members are using reusable masks that are sued my the Tailor team, they distribute non reusable one to camp   residents. 

Educational and waste management activities were broadly reported by the medias of all continents. Alternative Africa  wrote about «  Migrants from the Moria camp in Lesvos, Greece, sew  handmade protective masks ».  Posta news  and Noize  from Poland wrote about the self run organizations and the awareness activities. TAT Sachen from Austria mentioned the awareness team – as well as Vart Land from Norway- and interviewed the coordinator of MWH, Raed AlObeed,  when Medium from the UK talked about the recycling project.  France 24 was reporting the reason of the self-run activities through an interview of MWH coordinator « We launched our own  initiative because most of the NGOs have left the camp. We do a lot of sensitization, we explain to people what Covid-19 is, that it is really dangerous, and we explain the basic preventive measures: how to wash your hands well, keep away from others, don’t go out of the camp so as not to risk contracting the virus… The fact that so far there hasn’t been any case in the camp is a miracle, it   has to continue. »

https://blogs.taz.de/dissenspodcast/in-der-corona-krise-darf-europa-uns-in-moria-nicht-im-stich-lassen/

Finally, Moria Media Team was set up in April as a sub project of the 3 self run organizations. The idea was that photographers of Moria Academia, MWH and MCAT could publish content on the internet. Thus, SBML created an page on internet called « Files from Moria » in which the media content is shared. The Media Team also have contact with journalists and medias sources in order to report about the situation on the island. 

2.3.1 Team members 

Between April and June, SBML provided markets cards to the members of our partner organization inside the camp.  

• SBML started to implement the system of incentives for the MCAT and MWH members. From April to June it consisted in market cards in which SBML were crediting 10euros per week that could permit the members to buy their own food to the supermarket. We decided to implement this card system instead of directly supplying them food from international donors because it permit them  to be empowered to choose their own food,  thus  helping  discontructing this image of « beggers refugees ».  
• We also provide food for the MWH, MCAT and Moria Academia workers for lunch. It consists of hot meals prepared by NGO’s (Zaporeak and Home for All).

2.3.2 Housing program 

Stand by me Lesvos settled  housing program. This programs aims to protect the refugees that are in specific situations that makes them more vulnerable (pregnant women, health issues for instance). Many donors from America and Europe asked us to help this people to rent houses. In 2020, SBML is renting more than 10 houses in Mytilini that permit 40 refugees to find a safe place.

2.3.3 Support of Samos, Leros and Diavata 

SBML have settled projects since April that are aimed to be short in time in supporting Leros and Samos Island as well as Diavata camp on the mainland. After having received the list of urgent needs, SBML organized the packing, palletization and transfer of these needs. 

Since then, we also support the newly established Leros Corona Awareness Team (LCAT) in term of materials. 

In June, Leros Refugee Youth Group launched a Covid awareness campaign that we supported inside the refugee camp. (See Part 3 for details).

2.3.4 Greek locals : vulnerable citizens, Mytilini Fire Brigade,  Hospital and Bus company

Since April 2020, SBML support vulnerable Greek locals in 3 different locations :Mytilene, (city, Thermi, Pamfila andAg. Marina), Kalloni and Agiasos through different associations such as Eypoio and Sitizo in Kalloni,  Agiasos Thermi in Mytilene. For some villages, we directly deal with Vice Mayors. In total it represents around 380 persons. This support was strengthened during the lockdown periods. SBML provide them cooked food on a regular basis – in  collaboration with Home for all and Zaporeak kitchen – and dry food from our warehouse.  Furthermore, for Easter SBML provided 15 tablets that have been distributed by volunteers to vulnerable people. 

Additionally, we helped Roma people in May :

• SBML supported a Roma family with a generator who needs electricity for a chronically sick family.
• We also supported an initiative of Deputy Mayor of Volunteerism, Dimitra Alexandri, who took care about the Roma camps on Lesvos, distributed food, gave awareness about Corvid-19 and disinfected the places.

In April, in cooperation with the School of Second Chance, SBML bought a 3D printer  and use this  material to produce face shields for medical staff.

In May, SBML started a cooperation with the fire brigade of Mytilene. We supplied them with some equipment and helped them to build a small shelter for their staff near Moria. At this time, we were thinking to start fire protection training for refugees in the camp. In May 11, SBML supplied a distribution of masks to bus company.

On the beginning of June, SBML organized a second distribution of masks at a bus station of Mytilini. Some masks were produced by the Tailor workshop of Academia. We also gave some to primary schools in Mytillini. Finally, In cooperation with and upon the request of the camp management, SBML supported and organized the repair of several bathroom facilities in the camp. 

Pre fire

3.1.1 Relocation of Moria Academia’s activities at Lyceum  

From July to September, Stand By Me Lesvos worked hard to develop and increase the educational capacities within the camp residents of Moria Camp.  This occurred in several different ways.  At the Lyceum location of SBML, daily English classes were taught Monday – Friday to women and children.  10 classes were offered by 12 teachers in Arabic and Farsi, and served approximately 600 students – at the end of July, MWH joined the Academia program and start with open air classes for Arab children. 

In order to reach more students and further support the refugee self-organization, SBML worked hard to map and understand the multitude of self-run schools in Moria.  Once the schools were known to SBML, we aimed to support them with physical goods and material/curricular support.  SBML supplied school supplies for approximately 1000 students attending community run schools monthly.  Schools for men, women and children were all supported, and the teachers were invited to join the teacher training at Lyceum. In the beginning au August, we supported the opening computer laboratory in the new Lyceum place where camp residents could be trained. At the same time, Stand By Me Lesvos has been preparing to launch e-learning classes and building an e-learning platform. With the increasing number of Covid cases on the island, Moria academia classes had to adjust to the rules. Thus, we supplied hand sanitation and  masks were supplied  to the schools.

3.1.2 Relocation of Tailor’s activities at Lyceum

Tailor project : As the tailor workshop was happening in SBML’s school and the latter closed in March, the moved in June in SBML new warehouse, at Lyceum. From July to September, 20 women worked in the sewing workshop at the SMBL Lyceum Monday – Friday to produce fabric masks for camp residents.  Roughly 600 masks were produced daily and distributed to camp residents through the recycling program of MCAT, through the teachers at Lyceum and the teachers of community schools in Moria. The masks were distributed to Academia  students, team members  and largely to camps residents  through MCAT recycling points. 

3.1.3  Classes and training of trainers.

First aid classes : although the project was planed in June, the classes started in the beginning of July with the objective of 1 person trained out of 50 based on the camp demographics.  On July and august, 80 camp residents were attending the first aid classes per month. The classes were taught in 3 languages (Farsi, French, Arabic) and organized by gender and language. The classes took place every Tuesdays and Thursdays in old Moria camp for 4 hours. SBML’s role was to provide the location of the training (Lyceum warehouse) and the material needed (kits, cards, certificates for exemple) when BRF were conducting the classes as well as training the trainers. SBML’s role was also the demographic mapping and planning on who should be offered training based on camp demographic in order for each community to be have trainees in its rank. SBML organized ceremonies by zones in order to deliver the certificates. Because of Covid-19,  SBML then stopped this ceremonies: during the summer, the graduates would pick up their diploma directly at Lyceum. After completing 3 trainings and undergoing first aid trainer training, individuals could join in providing First aid training alongside BRF: a total of 10 individuals completed Trainer Trainings in July and August, and could then directly teach the First Aid class.  

 3.1.4 Greek classes project  

The Greek classes project started in 2018. It consists in Greek classes offered by the teachers of the Second Chance School of Mytilene in cooperation with SBML. Until March, the classes were taught twice a week and 30 students were attending the latter.Because  of the first lockdown the classes were interrupted. The school restored inSeptember, in partnership with  The Second Chance School of Mytilene and greek class was offered in Mytilene, where 20 students attended.

Post fire 

Academia school and sewing workshop activities were suspended from the 9th of September until beginning of October. Once in the new camp, Moria Academia’s activities started again with activities for children although they did not have any structure/tent. The classes were held outside.  

3.1.5 Moria Animal Care 

This project started after Moria burned in early September. Since, a group of young Afghans from takes care about abandoned cats near the old camp in Lyceum. More than 50 come every day for food and to take a rest. In 2020, SBML covers: shelter in Lyceum, food and its transportation, veterinarian and medication costs.

Pre fire 

3.2.1 Recycling project 

The recycling project was very quickly successful and many camp residents were taking part of it. Because of this, there was long queue every day at the recycling station and therefore a need for decongestion. From July, the only recycling station located in Moria was split up in 3 different recycling points. Since, 32 MCAT members are working 6 days a week. It was a huge logistical challenge and the MCAT team did a very hard work every day to manage it. Additionally this was made possible thanks to the great cooperation with the local Greek company Agritellis that is implementing this project. During the summer, SBML bought  essentially fresh bottles of water for recycling (2 pallets each time for 1000euros). The amount of collected bottles at the recycling stations increased from 12 000 to 15 000 per day as well as the purchase of cold water for a total of 1500 each day of recycling.

3.2.2 Upcycling classes

Although the camp was under strict regulation because of Covid, MCAT members were eager to continue the upcycling project. In small groups, with masks and in an open space, they continued the up cycling teaching and playing on raising awareness about better trash management. 

3.2.3 Rubbish collection

Between July and September, the MWH continued their cooperation with the municipality in cleaning the olives groves of Moria camp. Thus, SBML continued to support them with necessary material and costs. Every month the MWH-Team is getting out 100 tons of rubbish from the Moria camp. The team expended from 70 team members in June to 120 in August. One big tasks of the MWH was for instance to clean up the old camp of Moria, and its « river » which contained a lot of rubbish and plastic. This was done because some rain was expected in the next day and thus permitted to prevent the rubbish to flood into the sea. 

3.2.4 Awareness 

Corona awareness project : although the first Covid case in the island was reported in March 2020,   the first Covid case was registered in Moria camp in the beginning of September 2020. At this time, already over 80 infections were registered on the island. There was no lockdown is Lesvos – appart for Moria camp –  and the virus was spreading rapidly. More and more cases were registered every day.

Thus, MCAT ran several campaigns from July to September  in different locations: 

• In old Moria, the teams were distributing masks on a daily basis 
• Two rounds of Covid-19 awareness posters were created and hung in and around the new camp.  In Total, 600 A3 posters and 1800 A4 posters were produced and hung up. 

Post fire 

3.2.5 Cleaning project outside the camp

Since September 2020 , every Friday, MWH team members, in collaboration with Mytilini Municipality work outside the camp to clean areas such as old Moria, Moria village, Mytilini city. When there is a need, the municipality call them to indicate the location to clean. The MWH received then a permission from the municipality that permit them to go out of the camp. This permits both communities to work together  and is inevitably a tool for mediation. In this sense, SBML serves as a bridge between both  actors. SBML were  please to read a « thank you » letter from the Deputy Mayor of Lesvos,  Mr. Dimitra Alexandri to MWH workers « for the great help » that they provided and that their contribution has been « evaluated positively ». This is exactly what SBML is aiming for : to be a bridge between different actors on the island, thus reducing the present tensions. 

3.2.6 Moria Media Team 

The Moria Media Team created a twitter account right after the fire, to report as much as possible the event. The account went rapidly famous and gained 2,5k followers within the first 24 hours for posting about the fire. 

It is seen as a compilation of all the media activities of our partners and includes the people who are taking pictures, making videos and doing interviews. We strongly supported this initiative as it permits them to speak out loud and to communicate. It is one reason why we provide cell phone to the teams as well as internet recharges. 

Pre fire 

Before old Moria camp burned, SBML implemented a system of card which were credited of 10euros per week. This cards were distributed to 200 persons – the members of our partner organization in the camp – and permitted them to buy food in supermarkets. 

Post fire 

3.3.1 Increase of team support after the fire 

After the fire, most of the activities of the self-organized teams were disrupted. Moria Academia and the Tailor project had to be suspended until the beginning of October as the team members were left living in the street. Nevertheless, MCAT members were providing awareness, masks, disinfectant, while MWH were collecting rubbish in the street where migrants were blocked. SBML adopted the following reasoning in term of fire emergency response : 

To whom SBML should send the emergency aid ? 

 Unlike other NGOs on the ground, we do not consider ourselves as a distribution NGO and we did not want to claim to distribute humanitarian aid to 12,000 people. Indeed, we wanted the supply of humanitarian aid to take place in a calm and dignified manner, which is impossible for a small and medium sized structure like ours to consider by organizing mass distributions. So the question was: according to our capacities, to how many people can we  deliver emergency supply, and to whom ? Without too much hesitation, we therefore decided to supply the members of our partner teams who were living in the Moria camp, as well as their families. This represents 200 people who work on a daily basis in cooperation with SBML, 500 with their relatives.

How to organize a dignified emergency supply ? 

In close collaboration with the coordinators of each partner team on site, the local population as well as international donors, SBML was able to organize food delivery to the locations of the asylum seekers as follows :

1. Packing food each morning: 200 bags of which 175 were for the families and 25 for the single men. Every day, we called on four or five members of our partner teams to ensure that the packing was done as quickly as possible.
2. Loading the food bags into a truck.
3. Transporting the bags of food to the road where the members of our partner teams were located.  This transport was provided by the Greek company Vasilis Agritelis.
4. Unloading the materials by the coordinators to the managers of the partner teams.
5. Delivery of food by the managers to all members of the partner teams, entrusting the distribution of items to the team leaders of MWH, MCAT and Moria Academia to ensure a dignified system.

The coordinators and managers of the partner teams distributed directly to all members. So, in practice, it was Afghan and Syrian asylum seekers who took care of the distribution of their own emergency aid to their own communities. 

The interest of this procedure is that it allowed a dignified distribution without overflow in a crisis situation. It also creates empowerment and responsibility for the asylum seekers. SBML do not wish to work in the place of the beneficiaries, as we do not have the same language and culture, which would therefore be counterproductive.  It was – ultimately – only a logistical and financial upstream support attributed to SMBL.  

At the end of September 2020, asylum seekers were moved into the new temporary camp. From October SBML were providing food twice a week – every Tuesday’s and Friday’s.  Process in its distribution perspective remained the same as during the crisis. Additionally, SBML set up a « clothing project » for the team members of ours partners organization inside the camp . It was set up fairly quickly due to strong demand. Still with the help of the coordinators of each team, we organized a space dedicated exclusively to clothings in the warehouse. Every day, SBML drivers would go to the entrance of the camp to pick up 5 members of our partner teams. They were accompanied to the warehouse in order to choose clothes for themselves and their families. We followed this organization over two weeks so that the 200 team members could come each one time. After these two weeks, we changed the organization because of the « less urgent » nature of the situation. Thus, the coordinators of each team now target the needs of their members on a weekly basis. Two days a week (Wednesday and Thursday), they can send representatives from their teams to choose the required clothing. 

Free bus project : This project was settled after asylum seekers were moved to the new camp in September. The free bus started from Mytilene to camp and back in order to facilitate camp residents route to the city center as 3 kilometers distance the two locations. With the support of Logitech Germany, SBML was paying the bus and its drivers through Astiko ktel Greek company for shifts starting from 9am to 3 pm, 5 days a week. The amount of available passengers was 2100 for one month. (note : Unfortunately, the project is  suspended since January 2021 because of the strict lockdown applied on Lesvos. )

3.3.2 Greek locals, hospital of Mytilini and  Fire Brigade  

This activity has not been affected by the fire of Moria. We continued to support vulnerable greek locals on a weekly basis. In addition: 

• In August, the association for Multiple Sclerosis had severe problems to pay their electric bill. So we jumped in, and we just received this nice thank you letter from them. « The President and the Council of the association El pizo thanks SBML for the economic aid of 350euros offered for the payment of the electric bill »
• In August and September, we supported a local mask sewing factory and send face shields to the local health centre.

With the help of Europe Cares we were able to supply Mytillene fire brigade with face shields in August. They do a great and very important job: Almost every day they need to combat fires on the island and especially in and around Moria. SBML was also able to distribute face shields to hospital of Mytilene, fire brigades and other institutions in Kalloni municipality in August.  

3.3.3 Samos and Leros 

SBML continued to support and fundraise partners organizations in Leros (LCAT). In September for instance, we bought food bags for LCAT group that they distributed inside the quarantine area of the camp. During the summer, Leros activity were numerous (Eid festivity, classes, corona awareness campaigns, activities for children…)

4.1.1 Moria academia classes structure within the new camp

While space was an issue in the new camp, with highly limited exits of camp residents, an educational space outside the camp is not practical. Therefore, while SBML continued to request space for educational activities of Moria Academia school, we have been able to continue with several of the original aspects of the education project. From October, 7 classes have been able to find space to meet under the umbrella of Stand By Me Lesvos.  These 7 classes serve approximately 250 students in learning English, art and Arabic.  In addition, 5 community schools have been able to continue with our support and serve approximately 320 students. The Greek classes unfortunately had to stop because of the lockdown that started beginning of November. At this time, there were 13 team members.

4.1.2  E-learning classes 

Further more, SBML began e-learning classes . It consists in free programs available for all refugees. The development of the program started in November. In December the platform hosted Greek classes and in January English classes for a total of online in 8 online classes, serving 75 students. German online classes are to set to launch in January 20201. Additionally, the team of remote teachers are working diligently to update and further build out the English curriculum and create/convert a Greek curriculum.  The greek classes were operated by students of the Aristoteles University of Thessaloniki.

4.1.3 First aid training  

First aid training and training of first aid trainers was able to restart in November with 10 participants per class due to Covid regulation, trained in first aid in twice weekly first aid classes, and 5 individuals have completed the training of trainers course to become a First Aid Trainer. We delivered certificates both in October, and at the end of December. we were able to deliver the certificates for the participants of the First Aid Courses. This year we were able to train in total 250 camp residents and will continue in the goal of 1 in 50 trained based on the demographics of the new camp.

4.1.4 Tailor project 

The Tailor project was able to restart in October after the fire with 20 women leaving camp  (with the Free bus project that SBML settled) daily to go to the Lyceum warehouse and resumed  making approximately 600 masks per day.  These masks were again distributed to camp residents through the recycling program of MCAT, through the teachers with SBML and the teachers of community schools in the new camp. Once the programs had sufficient masks, it was requested that the sewing workshop create cloth bags for a more sustainable option for camp residents.  So the sewing team began to construct reusable cloth bags, which were distributed to students and recycling project participants.  Approximately 200 bags were sewn daily.  Upon request, the sewing team is able to redirect, for a short period of time, to begin making masks again according to the needs of the camp. 

4.1.5 Erasmus project 

On the 15th of November, SBML took part of a zoom conference as part as a project we do with Erasmus+ program we do with Northern Lights in Kavalla, Indigo in Samos and Wadi in Germany.  Together with other international partners we developed a toolbox for volunteers and in this conference our partners from MCAT and MWH and we introduced the concept of refugee self organisations groups that proved to be so successful during the last month here and on other Greek islands.We explained that this idea is deeply rooted in the Geneva Convention and the UNHCR originally was even promoting it, why MCAT quotes them in their constitution. We all deeply believe this concept helps to solve so many problems and also changes the way refugees are seen.

In addition to all of the educational opportunities Stand By Me Lesvos was able to offer in this strained situation, we have also been designing a mobile classroom, which when completed, will allow a warm, weather resistant place that can be placed anywhere in the camp and provide 2 additional classrooms per bus.  When completed, these buses will offer First Aid, art, computer, sewing, chess, music, and language classes.  The space will be a joint project used by Stand By Me Lesvos and accessible to self-organized classes to utilize the space.

 4.2.1 Upcycling classes 

Upcycling classes have also been able to restart in November. Every Saturday, 2 MCAT members are providing education to approximately 30 students per week. This is part of the recycling and waste management program we help our partners to implement.  

4.2.2 Recycling 

Recycling : The project was able to re start on the first of October within the new camp. In the meantime, MCAT started to cooperate with MWH within the recycling project. Because only clean empty bottles can go to recycling, a minimum of 30 MWH members collect 5 days a week dirty bottles inside the new camp for a total of 1000 bottles on a daily basis. It is our aim to separate bottles from the other rubbish and to get as many as possible to the recycling plan. This helps the environment of the island, raises awareness and enables camp residents to receive goods in exchange to their empty bottles. 

Twice a week every Monday and Wednesday, SBML sent items from our warehouse to recycling (tomato paste, rice, pasta, powdered milk, beans). Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday we buy 1500 items from Vasilis Agritelis company (juice, milk, potatoes and bananas). Finally, since December, « Hope  project » organization supplies hygiene items every Fridays that go to recycling. Since November, the recycling stations collect daily about 20.000 to 25.000 bottles that go out of the camp to be recyled.

4.2.3 Rubbish collection project outside the new camp 

Every fridays, MWH team continued its project in cooperation with the municipality in collecting rubbish outside the camp. 

4.2.4 Awareness

Covid awareness: MCAT activities were speed up as the second lockdown hit Lesvos in the beginning of November. We continued to provide masks, gloves and all the material needed in order to provide preventive aid within the  new camp.  

In the beginning of December, MCAT organized a new campaign. Once again, we supplied 800 posters that were hang out everywhere inside and outside the  camp. The second campaign occurred in the end of December for a total of 500 posters. We printed less posters as the number of camp residents decreased. 

4.2.5 Electricity project 

This project has been initiated by the camp manager November and is supported by SBML in cooperation with the Moria White Helmets. Within the MWH, 14 are skilled and qualified as electricians. Thus, they are working inside the camp to 1.settle electricity spots 2. fix electricity damages in different zones of the camp. Since the end of November until the end of December, they have been 17 days, from morning until night, in blue, green, red, yellow zones of the camp. Meanwhile « Low Tech » NGO provides some tools and materials, SBML is taking care of transportation and incentives for  14 workers that are part of the Moria White Helmet.

4.2.6 Open letter  

In December, Raed al Obeed and Omid Deen Mohammed, respective coordinators of MWH and MCAT, wrote a third open letter to the President of the European commission, Madam Van der Leyen and to europeans  in order to alarm the European community about the living conditions within the new camp and to express out loud revendications. This open letter was then translated in a wide range of languages (French, German, Dutch, Greek, Swedish, Italian, Spanish, Norwegian, Arabic, Farsi, Austrian, Bulgarian, Polish) and sent to many medias all around Europe. SBML encouraged the coordinators in this project and helped in translation. 

Thus, we could read about their letter  especially in German medias such as Der Tagesspiegel; Nex 24 News , in some French medias (Mediapart ; Liberation ; AFP ); Dutch (IndyMedia; Krapuul); Greek with Politika Lesvos  and some Italian medias,  and also in Al araby which broadcast information in Arabic.

4.2.7 Fire brigade training courses 

In November, started the cooperation between our partners inside the new camp and the fire brigade of Mytilini. The latter  provided one training course as a pilote class with hope for future expansion, to members of our partner teams. It is organized in cooperation with the camp management and is part of a larger program to increase safety in the camp and fix the electrical networks. A lot of camp residents enlisted to assist. They are electricians or were members of fire brigades themselves. As we always say we believe in the strength of self organization. Later on, the Lesvos Fire Brigade asked us if we can supply them with masks with their logo and we are more than happy to do so.

4.2.8 Moria Media Team wins Pre Build Award price

We were pleased to learn that a member of the Moria Media Team that we support was awarded on a photography competition : Muhanned al Mandil’s picture taken in April in Moria camp won the third place of the Pre Build Award in the category NGO. Finally, from September to December 2020, the Moria Media Team gained 3700 followers on Twitter which is a big success in term of ratings.

4.3.1 Team members and extra support due to winter

From November to December, our partners inside the camp received twice a week dry food from our warehouse. It is part of the incentives we provide them. In total it represents 932 bags that were packed in the warehouse and sent to camp through the coordinators and managers of our partners  inside camp. In addition, we organized extra distributions. In October,  SBML provided bicycles to our partners thanks to donations. In addition, October, we were able to manage sand and gravel to MWH team that they could help putting gravel and fix more tents after rain. In December, team members from Moria Academia helped pumping water out of tents inside the camp, and in the camp with a pump we purchased for them.

In December, SMBL demand increased due to the  devastating weather conditions :

• In the beginning of December, we  transferred sleeping, bags and mattresses from our warehouse to the blue zone which is the closest location next to the sea, and in which the Africans are living. This distribution went through community leaders to the  African communities
• We also helped to organize a shoes distribution from our warehouse and « Hope Project »’s one : all our partners and many community leaders were asking around about needs and sizes and we sorted hundreds of shoes.  We started referencing and distributing shoes to the children and adult shoes for our partners, and mattresses, sleeping bags and other stuff for  communities. 

4.3.2 Cooperation with Hope Project 

In December, SBML, MCAT, MWH and Moria Academia started a partnership with « Hope Project » organization. We would make contact between Hope Project that is called to providing supply to our partners inside the camp through the recycling project for instance, or to all camp residents. On the 15th of December, Hope Project donated to our partners all their sleeping bags, in order for the latter to be re distributed to camp residents. It has been quantified as 400 blankets, 350 sleeping mats and a large amount of wellingtons boots.

4.3.3 Support of Greek locals and hospital

In October SBML delivered disinfection, soap and other materials to the local hospital in Agiassos in the center of Lesvos island. Earlier in October, and on the 17th of November, we also provided disinfection and boxes of masks and face shield to the hospital as the pandemic was hitting Lesvos hard and daily new cases were reported. Thus, we try our best to help the local hospital, the only place where serious cases can be treated. In the beginning of October, SBML supported a kindergarden in Agiassos and a local initiative of the church to help in Zimbabwe. In November, SBML sent 70 of each flour, tea, sugar, oil, chickpeas, rice, pasta, tomato paste, salt and  110 kg of potatoes to greek locals through the municipality of Mytilene. We also sent salt and chickpeas to Zaporeak kitchen and Home for all.

In, December, SBML also supported vulnerable greek locals as following : 

• On the 2nd, SBML provided chickpeas in addition to the cooked food to vulnerable Greeks in Kalloni municipality.
• On the 19th, SBML provided chicken, chickpeas, fresh bred and several items from our warehouse to Agiasous.
• On the 22nd, « Eypoio » and « Sitizo » organizations in Kalloni were able to distribute bags to vulnerable people with our support (purchase of items distributed). 
• On the 23rd, food distribution for Christmas to poor and vulnerable citizens of Lesvos in Kalloni Municipality in co-operation with local volunteers. 

4.3.4 Leros and Samos island 

On October 17th, SBML sent 4 pallets to Samos island ( tents, note books, hand  and surface disinfection, soap, masks, shampoo, tooth brush, T- shirt, sleeping bags and mattresses), 6 pallets to Diavata camp ( tents, sleeping bags and blankets, powdered milk, shampoo, masks, soap, baby food and T-shirt) and 6 pallets to Leros island (feminine pads, diapers, soap, hands and surface disinfectant, shampoo, masks, T-shirts, tents, blankets, sleeping mattresses, toothbrushes, clothes and baby food) 

Additionally, we sent 6 pallets to Just Action in Samos on November 2nd aiming to help them facing the emergency situation : blankets, sleeping bags and tents, dry food (rice, oil, pasta and sugar), hygiene  items (shampoo, soap, tooth brushes and paste, sanitary pads, wipes, hand gel and masks). Finally, on November 13th, we sent 3 pallets of tents, blankets and sleeping bags. 

Leros Refugee Group of Leros island, stopped their activities as remained very little amount of camp residents : most residents were given passage to the mainland. This is the good news, because we all want these camps to be dismantled. Our work is to make ourselves superfluous and in Leros this happened.

4.3.5 Christmas distribution 

 SBML helped to organize a Christmas distribution within the camp, with the cooperation of : 

• MWH, Moria Academia, MCAT on the ground and 
• Human Plus (Germany), Plattform Solidarität Oberösterreich, Verein Begegnung Arcobaleno, Budbringeren fra Helvete, OASCH KV,The Hope Project and Leavenoonebehind (From Austria and Norway). 

2500 Christmas parcels were packed individually in Germany and Austria and shipped to Lesvos. The packages  were sorted for newborns, toddlers, children and teenagers, boys and girls.  SBML bought the gifts for teenagers (16 to 18) from local shops. The trucks arrived in our warehouse. Using the camp demographics, the gifts were distributed accordingly. Until every minor had her/his parcel,  this was all organized and managed by more than 100 team members of our partner organizations. This project once again showed how efficient refugee self organization works. The narrative changed: instead of europeans and authorities distributing Christmas gift to refugees, the refugees themselves distributed the latter to their communities. SBML are glad to help to enable this in the background with providing logistics and some organization.

We also distributed some of the parcels to poor families in Pamfila Municiaplity which is close to Kara Tepe camp. In a thank you message we received they said: « Your gifts made happy some Greek children that they are really needed, believe me those kinds were almost at the same situation. »