Responding to Emergency Needs and Fostering Refugees’ and Migrants’ Empowerment (REFRAME)

Duration: 1 September 2017 – 28 February 2021

IOM Greece aimed at implementing a holistic protection response to assist migrants and refugees in coping with challenges that jeopardize their health and safety and affect their future inclusion into the Greek society.

Main activities:

• Collaboration with KETHEA on prevention and response to alcohol and drugs abuse/addiction in the open accommodation sites/camps of Attica region by providing counselling services through a joint IOM-KETHEA mobile team and facilitating referrals to treatment facilities.
• Minimizing risks of violence and abuse by promoting the active engagement of migrants and refugees to livelihood activities.
• Supporting Greek Municipalities in assistance and integration of migrants/refugees.
• Reconstruction of 2 buildings in collaboration with NGO of the Church of Greece to act as long-term Shelters for Unaccompanied Migrant Children (UMC).

Main Results:

• IOM collaboration with KETHEA (Therapy Center for depended individuals) in order to design and implement a double stream intervention, with the objective to (i) raise awareness and (ii) support migrants and refugees in overcoming drug and alcohol abuse/addiction problems. A joint IOM - KETHEA mobile counselling team was set up and was visiting on a rotation basis the targeted sites and in the centre of Athens. Through this component, a total of 281 professionals have been assisted with awareness-raising group sessions. A total of 47 individual drug addicts and drug addicts’ family members were assisted through counselling sessions with therapeutic staff; moreover, a total of 192 beneficiaries were assisted through Individual informative meetings on the services provided. Lastly, a total of 602 individuals were benefited from the door-to-door outreach activity to inform and raise awareness on drug abuse.  
• With the objective to increase the self-reliance of migrants and refugees, IOM implemented 2 occupational workshops in 2 sites: a) Sewing workshop in Thiva: Sewing machines and materials were provided, targeting mainly female residents who created various handy crafts, and b) Gardening in Ritsona: IOM made usage of a certain area in the site of Ritsona which was suitable for cultivation of vegetables/gardening. 
• Support to 4 Greek Municipalities for better integration and social inclusion of refugees in terms of small-scale reconstruction of medical facilities, purchase of additional equipment, furniture in the hospitals or support in other types of welfare and social public services (learning centers, community circles, etc.) as an evident need to support the integration. This benefitted the Municipalities in a two-fold approach: improved quality assistance to local citizens and increased capacity of municipalities to provide services to newly arrived migrants.
• Reconstruction of 2 buildings in the Athens urban area that will serve as Shelters for Unaccompanied Children for the NGO of the Church of Greece.

 

Partners

KETHEA, NGO of the Church of Greece

Areas of action

Oinofyta, Ritsona, Malakasa, Thiva, Thermopiles, Athens urban area, Chania, Ioannina, Karditsa, Nikea, Kypseli and Katerini.