In Greece's ongoing refugee crisis, a small migrant community center which has been making a big difference is struggling to make ends meet and has made an impassioned plea for financial support so it can keep operating. Welcommen is an innovative community center accomodating refugees in Athens, especially catering to people in need of long term care, promoting social inclusion and job integration of vulnerable groups of refugees.
Set up in 2016, it hosts 160-180 people on a daily basis and up to now Welcommon has helped provide accomodation for 600 refugees from 18 countries - more than 50% were children and under 18 years old. However, their limited UNHCR and EU funding stops at the end of February and the center will be forced to close if alternative financing can not be found.
'We want to continue our journey'
"We want to continue our journey and that's why we're asking for help from all sides," Welcommon chairman Nikos Chrysogelos told Greek newspaper Efsyn."We have managed to achieve so much in a short space of time and the social innovation and integration that we have helped to promote and contribute to not only helps refugees but is for the benefit of the local population as well." Award winning initiative Welcommon, which began life operating with minimal costs and volunteers, is located in a former clinic in a space of 3,200 square meters in the center of Athens.
The facility was awarded on June 8, 2017 with the "Special Mention" award under the REVES, Committee of the Regions Excellence Award 2017, among several projects from seven different countries. More than 170 volunteers from four different continents have participated in activities run by the center, which also provides support services, medical care, educational programs for children and adults, and the preparation of children for school. It's operational expenses to date have reached 1.7 million euros.
"Nearly a quarter of all our expenses was VAT, while half of the resources were spent on services, daily operating expenses, accounting, etc.," said Chrysogelos. Welcommon's aim, should they get enough funding, is to develop interactive vocational training workshops that will highlight the qualifications and capacities of refugees so that, together with unemployed Greek graduates, opportunities for employment can be created for all.
While the UNHCR and EU are pushing for centers like Welcommon to be closed down in favour of the autonomous housing schemes being set up in renovated apartments, Chrysogelos argues that this is just not suitable for some members of their migrant community."Some of the migrants are simply not ready to be moved into an apartment and live autonomously," he said.
"This is because some of those are planning to move on soon or they can't due to health problems. For example we have a very sick person who we look after here, how can we tell him he must leave? Not only that, some refugees just do not want to leave as Welcommon supports them on many levels. There has to be more alternatives for vulnerable people in order for them to be able to live independently," concluded Chrysogelos.
1.2 million euros target
Chrysogelos said he is trying to raise a total of 1.2 million euros, which will help Welcommon to keep going and organize the transition of people to their final destinations - whether it is an apartment or a job - until the end of 2018.
People who wish to donate to Welcommon's cause can make a deposit to the following bank account: Piraeus Bank, IBAN: GR83 0172 0180 0050 1807 7868 253, BIC: PIRBGRAA.