Moria Camp: What does tomorrow look like?
It is not my intent to criticize the existing efforts of NGOs in Moria Camp, given that the situation is improved two-fold to what would be (or rather not be) in their absence. I must however reluctantly admit that during my day shift helping I AM YOU, I was nothing short of disheartened. With plenty of willing people and time on our hands, so much could be done in a day but simply was not.
I attest it was not due to a lack of care, initiative or organization – rather just a group lacking in knowledge and resources. And while our overall inaction felt like a mild paralysis this day, the extremely sad conditions which people are forced to live in continue to exist. The I AM YOU compound has a long way to go in improving what they are providing in Moria.
Understandably, the quick and utilitarian response in place is still better than none at all. However, now that stays in the camps are getting extended, things should begin to be improved on a number of levels, some even as rudimentary as the conscientious placement of the provided IKEA tents to start.
One of the most visible and critical points was the lack of a place for people to gather. Be it to sit, discuss, for children to play, or even a place to catch a moment of reprieve from the chaos of the camp. In other words, the urban square. And although a seemingly rudimentary or basic concept, it could help create a semblance of normalcy, improving psychological well-being and allowing people to connect. Currently, inhabitants are forced out of tents and compounds between 8-15, then left to sit on the concrete streets which connect them.
A solution could be as simple as re-arranging the existing resources (in this case IKEA tents) in a more conscious way, such as clusters resembling neighbourhoods or communities with a common center. Adding gravel for passages to avoid muddy and puddled passages during rainy weather is also highly inexpensive and easy to implement. In more developed changes, the provision of comfortable and atmospheric seating, rudimentary outdoor shelters (to protect from rain and sun), and play areas for children could also increase the quality of these areas. In more technical options, the provision of proper sanitation and waste management could improve self-confidence and comfort among the inhabitants.
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One of the most striking moments during my shift, was Kristjana’s and my desperate search for a place to hold our spontaneously organized and makeshift English class for the children on our compound. In the I AM YOU camp there was no place to gather whatsoever. It was the strangest feeling when public space just ceased to exist when you really needed it. We wandered for a while, collecting a group of children who followed us out of curiosity until we found a ragged UNHCR floor mat on the ground near the toilets.
We started the lesson with an eclectic group of ages, our whole group engaged and focused on the new activity. We fervently discussed animal names at first, whilst also drawing and naming more important words for the older students such as bag, blanket, ticket, food, among many others. For a moment it was as though our surroundings ceased to matter. But when the lesson came to an end, it all became very real once more.
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My shift later continued within the Lighthouse Relief compound. It is apparent that the volunteers and organizers here share a common vision – making their space as warm and welcoming as they can manage. Their motivation is promising and proving to be a precedent for other compounds as well. And although their compound is small and still very basic, there is a warmer atmosphere and an emphasis on community, one you immediately encounter. Currently, they are accommodating the most at risk individuals, such as single women, children, families with small children and some individual cases.
Here I met a wonderful group of four Afghan and Syrian teenage girls with Oona. The girls have all been living in the camp for over 5 days. Their English was exceptional so we were able to chat away. At first we discussed some icebreakers, such as who we wanted to be when we grew up, but quickly laughed when we all confessed about not wanting to study very much either. As we got to know each other, two girls opened up about their families and hopes. It was so special to hear these stories from home and dreams about the future. It was amidst their joy and hope that I remembered how strange it was to be a teenager and how new the world was for me then. I could see at times in their eyes, when their smiles died down a bit, the uncertainty of their futures being very taxing.
As the sun began to set and the day was close to an end, it was very tough to say goodbye since it was our last day in Moria. I really felt like these girls became my friends, if even for a brief moment. With each hug goodbye, all I wanted for them was a safe journey to wherever they wanted to be. This feeling also made me understand the urgency in finding a way to make these places more humane. Not just for them, but the many others arriving everyday, just like them.
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Thursday was just a brief moment in my life and it was challenging. The working people on the ground are devoting weeks, months even, coming from all backgrounds and walks of life – and I am so grateful that they are there when many of us are not. Lest we forget those whose reality this has become…
[Out of respect, privacy and security, I chose not to post photos of people residing in the camps]
Photo Credit: Kristjana Aðalgeirsdóttir