IOM bus escorts working at the Eleonas Accommodation Centre have sent us a moving letter, describing their experience so far working with refugee children who are attending the Greek public education system.

18.01.2017

“Dear colleagues,

from the date of undertaking our responsibilities as escorts of refugee children at the Eleonas Refugee Accommodation Centre and after 70 days of daily presence and supervision in the field, we felt it is our duty to inform you on the following:
 

1. A total of 13 buses leave for the 5 Public Schools included in the Ministry's specific program.
2. For each school there are 2-3 buses available depending on the number and the attendance of the students of Eleonas’ A-B and C.
3. So far, there are 2 IOM bus escorts per school.
4. The buses arrive, park and wait at Gate C where the boarding of the students takes place. Then, they proceed to gate A-B where the rest of the students board, thus ensuring that all buses leave at full capacity for each school.
5. The duration of the boarding at A-B and C gates does not exceed 20 minutes.
6. Assigning the project to a new bus company had the best possible results in the best possible time.
7. The employees of said agency, both drivers and assistant bus escorts, are characterised by a strong sense of responsibility and team spirit.

A note on our line of work

On October 25th 2016, 10 people of different age, background and nationality started working as IOM bus escorts to the refugee children, from the Eleonas accommodation centre in Athens to and their schools and back.

In the beginning, we felt a little awkward but at the same time we had a thorough explanation on the nature of our duties by the IOM Education Team Our role was to defend the right of access to the public education system for the refugee children and to ensure their safe transport on a daily basis. This feeling of responsibility came as a lesson from the field, from the mothers of the children, who walk them every day to the main entrance to wave them goodbye. We didn’t want to disappoint these mothers in any way and we've given our best to be worthy of their trust. The look in their eyes follows us all the way from the accommodation centre to the schools and back again.

The children were “difficult” at first: unruly, scared or shy, they stole our hearts from day one.  The social contact between them was competitive, they couldn't perceive the joy they shared as a collective experience, which was no other than the joy of coexistence. There were children who refused to go back to the accommodation centre at the end of the school day because they didn't want to leave school. There were children running barefoot, shoes in hand after the prayer, so as not to miss their school bus. Children who barely abided by the rules but followed the example of the grown-ups with ease. We embraced each and every one of them, taking into account their differences and we feel very proud that, in a very short period of time, they trusted us when playing or when being innocently mischievous. Watching over them became an everyday fact that came effortlessly, in the most constructive way for us all. 

The change in their behaviour is astonishing, as well as the change in their interpersonal relationships, which have vastly improved. The common approach in addressing problematic behaviour by teachers, escorts and RECs (Coordinators of Refugee Education) has proved crucial and effective.

Public space

It was not uncommon - and to this day it remains as such - to be at the receiving end of the disdain or the contemptuous comments of fellow citizens, when seeing us escorting the refugee children to the entrance of the school. We've never answered them back and we've never engaged in conversation with them. We have avoided rows due to the tender age of our pupils, in respecting and protecting their right to education without entering in pointless or inappropriate disputes.

At the same time, we have been cheered and even applauded (!) by other fellow citizens when arriving at school. Other people gave us clothes, shoes as well as packaged food (such as croissants, juice, chocolate etc) which we delivered to the teachers and headmasters of our pupils.

We are now certain that, years from now and when this whole experience sinks in, we will feel proud that we were part of and supported this project by all means possible, just like when Ruby Bridges, in 1960, became the first African-American pupil in a "white" school. We are part of the same story.

We would like to thank you for honouring and trusting us with the implementation of such an important and socially sensitive programme”.

The IOM bus escorts of Eleonas