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The specific organisation we have chosen is Khora, a community centre project in Athens. Khora is a small, proactive association, made up of volunteers from all over the world. Its team includes members of the local Greek community, the refugee community and other international volunteers too.
The fact that Khora is a grassroots operation means that all the money goes directly to supporting the people who are most in need. Refugees also play a large part in the running of the project, ensuring that the services provided are flexible to fit the needs of the community.
The fact that Khora is a grassroots operation means that all the money goes directly to supporting the people who are most in need. Refugees also play a large part in the running of the project, ensuring that the services provided are flexible to fit the needs of the community.
Over the last year and a half, Khora has operated out of an 8 storey building. They transformed an industrial building into a diverse community centre which has welcomed thousands of people stuck in Athens through its doors. Equally important to what they do, is how they do it. Mahmoud, who volunteered with Khora for a year states:
Over the last year and a half, Khora has operated out of an 8 storey building. They transformed an industrial building into a diverse community centre which has welcomed thousands of people stuck in Athens through its doors. Equally important to what they do, is how they do it. Mahmoud, who volunteered with Khora for a year states:
"The world was watching us when the borders closed, we had no food and we slept in the street. Khora was warm when the world was cold. It gave us dignity and empowerment, as well as the basic things we needed."
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Ground Floor: Active Room A space used for a range of workshops, events, yoga classes and meetings. Legal Assessment Room Seeing up to 20 people per day, offering advice and helping them navigate bureaucratic systems. Info Centre Welcoming 600-800 visitors each day. Distributing information in cooperation with the Aegean Solidarity Network, and otherwise providing a friendly face. |
Floors 1-2: The Kitchen & Cafe Serving up to 1000 people a day, six days a week. Nutritious and delicious food is served in a dignified way. No distribution queues. No one should leave hungry. The kitchen and cafe is staffed entirely with volunteers. The majority of them from the refugee community.
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Thighs of Steel has fundraised enough to pay for all of the rent, bills, and maintenance costs since the day they've had the property. We specifically choose to fundraise for these costs as they are typically the hardest to find funding for, so we've been able to give them more security and stability.
All of the money we fundraise goes to Khora, and none on the cycle ride itself.
Khora, along with other grassroots groups, were supporting refugees on the ground in Athens long before most INGO's, EU, and government's support reached people. Grassroots organisations take action fast, when it's needed, and then readjust later, as the situation evolves. To keep their services as responsive and up to date as possible and to comply with Greek planning regulations, Khora is now looking to move into a new building. This move is an opportunity for Khora to transform its activities and organisation to adapt with the changing needs in Athens and in their community.
The current situation in Greece has become increasingly complex and requires a dual response - while some people are now settling down to their new lives in Greece; trying to learn the language, looking for jobs and training opportunities, and getting their kids into school - others are still arriving, but now to a country whose asylum service is overburdened and to a Europe of closed borders, where movement is limited, authorities can be violent, services are still sparse, and public opinion is increasingly hostile. To meet these differing requirements demands a change to the services Khora offers and thus a change in space.
- Their Education service needs to grow to meet the needs of people looking to settle, while still providing languages for those who have just arrived or are still on the move.
- The Legal team requires more space and more volunteers to deal with the increased case volume.
- The way in which they serve food needs to change to support families to cook at home while still allowing for a cafe style space for new arrivals to meet and relax.
- The family space requires a licence, something which could not be done in the old building, so that children can receive a high quality of care and have time to play and laugh together after their journeys and during their family's continued upheavals.
- Advocacy is also increasingly important as the refugee situation disappears from the main media channels and outlets. People all over the world need to be reminded that these people are not invisible, that this ‘crisis’ has not gone away, that in order to hold onto the freedoms we have and to regain those we have already lost.
We are proud to support Khora through these changes and see this flexibility is one of the key benefits of being a grassroots organisation, as they have the ability to adapt to their community's needs. We will keep you up to date on their progress.
