As of February, the UNHCR reports that over 90,000 refugees are currently living in Greece. Many of them are children who were born in conflict zones and have never experienced anything but war, exile and life in a refugee camp.
The Mavrovouni camp (AKA Moria 2.0), the new camp set up last year in Lesbos after a fire destroyed Moria, is overcrowded with over 10.000 people living there. Like in Samos, there is poor basic sanitation, insecurity and a lack of medical and psychological support. Access to the camp is restricted and the Greek authorities do not welcome visitors. There is absolutely no shadow, the heat is nearly unbearable, and the list of challenges the refugees face every day goes on.
This hideous situation is what motivates us to keep going back. Our activities offer the over 1200 children living in these islands a much-needed stimulus; it gives them something to look forward to and allows them to exercise their play predispositions, thus distracting them from their difficult living situation.
Our healthcare clowns create an enabling and supportive environment that encourages and promotes the children’s active participation. By turning the performances into restorative experiences, and not merely recreational moments, we seek to attenuate the tension and vulnerability to which these children are exposed, giving them vital psychosocial support.