One of the amazing things that happen when the books arrived and we started to set up the library was that people started to approach me with their other talents and hobbies. Here we have tables and benches that were built by a few of the carpenters in the camp. A 22 year old girl asked shyly if she could show me something which turned out to be these stunning drawings she had been playing with. Women and men approach me with their knitting and I learned that the camp is full of tailors. A young friend in the camp showed me poems and short stories he had been working on and is translating them from Arabic to English with the help of google translate.
It brings such sadness to my heart to know that these gifted and hard working everyday people are forced to live in the shadows, unwelcome by countries that could definitely benefit and learn from their generosity, humility and authenticity. I hope to be able to share the tent that was built for the community centre and library with another organization who is trying to get a permission to being sewing machines to the camp. The unknown and lost between the lines by Khalil. 'The unknown is something that was missing man or existing thing that is not a solution to it, or question lingering in people's minds that is not a solution to it asks each one of us with him and no one has the answer to any such man who fights and fights and defends his family and his homeland and their land usurped not one puts it in his mind and everyone knows what it ... ?? The unknown is the man who was born between the tales of hunger and war is the man who was born of corn dust in the land has become a place for experiments bombs and missiles ..! The unknown is a child who lives between the bombing and destroyed houses is a child who calls life is the one who says Arhmona as God womb Where are you who advocate on behalf of humanity where the Rights of the Child, which engulfed by the world where the future where love where the school where swing our orchards spring where my mother where my father compassionate and my little brother I traveled to any country's teachers and my friends Is it my fault I have a child I can not carry weapons and do you like you'd fight my fault that I lost my family and become a friend with hunger Lost is the unknown and the impact of the prison includes extremists and spirits fishermen and traders to buy and sell precious money. The unknown is living between four walls are not aware of you out when and how to be, and by whom is it like to forget the Lord's ability and arrogance on the ability of sand' As the crowdfuning page has now closed, and the project is well on its way, I want to take this chance and from the bottom of my heart thank all of you who have supported this project. Its been amazing to witness the support and the generosity that is out there in this world which all to often seems saturated with hatred and discrimination. I have started to put together learning materials and book packages that will be bought for the funding through this site and hopefully next week will be able to send the last shipment to Greece.
Meet a few of the people who have helped me for the last two weeks. Incredible individuals with everything against them, but biggest hearts and the most incredible spirits I have ever known.
Today we hope to build some furniture for the community/library space with help from the people in the camp
Tent is up and running and provided a very welcome shade from the sun today. On a request from the community we also managed to put up some basket ball hoops which immediately proved very popular. Kids and grown ups a like have started to wait for the library opening and follow eagerly when the boxes are carried. More and more people come and sit down to ask for help with english. Next step is to decorate and finalize the library running rules and system with the community leaders, as well as ordering necessary books and educational materials lacking.
A lovely article about 'Books 4 Refugees' in the english-Icelanic newspaper GRAPEVINE
http://grapevine.is/mag/articles/2016/08/11/books-4-refugees-brings-library-to-the-camps/ An amazing day today - library open for 4 hours with constant flow of people. Some brilliant volunteers from Drops In The Ocean sat with the children and eager parents, going through books and english exercises - tomorrow we will hopefully manage to set up the big tent!
https://www.facebook.com/books4refugees/videos/1572171126422447/ What a day! We made a space out of blankets and boxes with books and opened the library for three hours. Soon a big crowd gathered and the huge smile on everyone faces said it all - parent sitting down with their kids to tell stories or teach, friends debating over particular stories and little children engrossed within their own imaginary world fueled by wonderful pictures in books. I also got a permission to put up a tent which will become the community space for the library and hopefully other learning activities. Constructions will start tomorrow!
After a stressful first day at the camp, learning that I had to get a permission from the Ministry in Thessoniliki to bring the books in - a lot of phone calls, collobaration and charm later, PERMISSION GRANTED! I have started discussions with the community and organizations on the ground about how best is to set things up, a few ideas are up that will be tested in the next few days whilst we wait for the rest of the donations. Meanwhile, the team in the camp is sorting through the 54 kg from Better World Books and Plurabelle!
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