Diavata Anagnostopoulou refugee camp is now a new temporary home to 350 refugees
Thessaloniki, 2017 – Around 350 refugees from Diavata – Anagnostopoulou refugee camp near Thessaloniki, North Greece, previously living in temporary containers consisting of one room, are now moved to a longer term housing units with two separate rooms, bathroom, solar boiler, kitchen with fridge and small cooker, wifi and TV connection. All of them, mostly families, were moved in 82 containers by May 16th and the first impressions are very positive.
“Going to the toilet at night will not be a nightmare anymore”, said a single mother of four small children. “We can even prepare our own food in clean and healthy environment now”, another mother added.
Families with more family members were very pleased that now they would be able to sleep in separate rooms: “I will sleep on this bed, and baby will sleep with mom in another room, so she will not wake me up at night”, said one older sister, showing us her new bed proudly.
“The project was difficult, not only in construction terms, but holistically – it was not easy to coordinate all the works, regulations, respect deadlines and implement all that with people living in the site every day. This makes me even happier and more proud of the outcome and dignifying level of living conditions these people live in now”, said Athina, ASB’s Civil Engineer.
“We won’t stop now, we have already continued works, section B is under construction!”, added Ioannis, ASB’s Mechanical Engineer.
“I am so happy that we will be able to host every single refugee the same way, in standardized, more human living conditions. Time of fixing damaged tents during a heavy rain or visits to camp at 2am because of generator failure are behind us. Faces are changing frequently in this camp, some refugees continue their journey, others are coming, and it is important for every single person to get the same treatment during his/her time spent in the camp”, said Georgia from ASB, providing management support on the site.
This project is funded by European Commission’s department for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). “It is very rewarding to see how our joint efforts are making a positive difference in the living conditions of refuges in Greece”, said Evangelos Petratos, European humanitarian expert in Greece.
ASB continues works in the rest of the camp, cleaning and leveling the ground, doing the excavations for the networks (electrical, water, sewerage, A/C, TV and internet) making and placing the retaining walls to prevent soil degradation, in order for another 74 houses to be placed, resulting in a total of 156 housing units in Diavata – Anagnostopoulou refugee camp by end of June 2017.
ASB is a non-political and non-denominational charity and relief organisation. We help all people – regardless of their political, ethnic, national and religious affiliation.
ASB started its operations in Greece in response to the Refugee crisis which hit this part of Europe during 2016. The main office for Greece is located in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece. ASB has been actively involved in the provision of humanitairan aid since the begining of the refugee crisis through the implemenation of humanitarian aid projects in Germany, Slovenia, Serbia, FYRoM and decided to expand its activities to Greece upon the outbreak of the crisis in this country. The ASB Greece office has officially been opened in June 2016.
Follow our news: website – https://asb.gr/ , Facebook – ASB Greece , Twitter – @ASB_Greece , Youtube: ASB Greece, Instagram: ASB_Greece.
Press contact Jelena Tesic Mobile: +30 6998262175 Email: jelena.tesic@asb.gr