Mavrovouni refugee camp
On 9 September 2020 the Moria camp burned down. After the fire, 12,000 people were left without shelter. Many were relocated to the mainland, but around 7,800 asylum seekers were resettled in the new temporary site of Mavrovouni, also known as Kara Tepe.
Camp residents live mostly in refugee housing units , and there is not sufficient electricity or running hot water in the camp. There are continuously disease outbreaks, such as scabies and lice. The geographic location of the camp makes it extremely prone to the consequences of storms and heavy rain. During the winter season, the temperature drops to around zero degrees, making an already difficult situation even worse.
Photo: A Drop in the Ocean
What does A Drop in the Ocean do on Lesvos?
The living conditions for the inhabitants of Mavrovouni are extremely difficult. A Drop in the Ocean has a team on the ground consisting of experienced coordinators, and international, local and community volunteer field workers. Our team monitor the situation and assist wherever it is needed, often in co-operation with other organisations, and reports to the camp management as the chairman of the WASH sector (water, sanitation, hygiene).
We have been working on Lesvos since 2015. Before Covid-19 and the fire in Moria, we organised activities at our two Drop Centres in Moria Village. We also ran activities for unaccompanied single minors inside Moria refugee camp.
After the fire in Moria Camp, we initiated the following activities:
Humanitarian Aid
- Laundry service
Without adequate access to water in Mavrovouni Camp, hygienic services are a constant challenge. Our project ensures that we reach all camp residents offering laundry services. On a daily basis, our teams collect clothes to be washed the residents of the camp, and with a priority on families, singles and protection referrals. In our laundry station inside the camp, we wash all incoming bags to medical standards contributing to our capacity as part of the medical protocol for skin diseases eradication. Additionally, through referrals from the medical sector, we train our staff to offer guided and practical information about scabies.
- Manual wash station
We have established washing stations in the camp where residents have access to manual washing machines. Here, they can wash their clothes and textiles whenever they need it most. The innovative machines operate entirely without relying on electricity.
Community Empowerment Mobilisation
- To run our laundry project in camp, we receive the support of resident volunteers representing every nationality living in Mavrovouni. In connection with International volunteers and coordinators, we run various language cafes, job readiness projects and team building exercises to engage the residents volunteers, creating an inclusive environment in our space in camp, giving an opportunity for activities in a camp with limited access to recreational activities.
- The Community Volunteer project ensures that, we as DiH, empower, mobilise and as a result return agency to community members. The successful running of our Lesvos operation relies on our international/local members in engaging residents in the running of our projects.
As an international/local volunteer you will be asked to support our laundry technicians in the laundry inside the camp, or in the manual wash station where the residents themselves may do their own washing. Your daily tasks will consist of being in camp with coordinators and Community Volunteers collecting bags or returning clean clothes following our operational protocols. Your may also support on capacity building projects with residents from the camp, such as job readiness, language cafes and team building exercises. You may also attend various trainings organized by us or our partners to gain more knowledge of safeguarding or other humanitarian subjects.