A chocolate unites us!

y@nnis — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 07:22:45 +0000

Undoubtedly, language is a key component of communication, while for refugees and immigrants it constitutes a key element of integration into the host society.

Tearing down walls – empowering migrants and refugee women living in Europe

y@nnis — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 08:50:28 +0000

On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall was torn down within a day and the division of the German capital ended. Almost thirty years later, November 9, 2018 was selected as the day to promote the activities of project WEMIN: Migrant Women Empowerment and Integration, which also aim to “bring down” the symbolic “walls” that hinder full integration of migrant and refugee women into European cities and the building of inclusive societies.

The WEMIN at the «You and I, and those who came after-We are all citizens» event

y@nnis — Sat, 03 Aug 2019 05:43:12 +0000

On the occasion of the “World Refugee Day“, an event entitled “You and I, and those who came after-We are all citizens” took place at the Serafion Center of the Municipality of Athens (22 June 2019). Humanitarian organizations, self-governing bodies and migrant-refugee communities as well as many citizens participated in the event which was open to the general public. Among them were the WEMIN implementation bodies in Greece, HOU-DAISSy Research Group (Coordinator) and Olympic Training & Consulting Ltd (partner).

Migrant and Refugee Women who restart their lives in Athens (Greece) – The story of Sharife from Afganistan

y@nnis — Sat, 03 Aug 2019 06:32:59 +0000

The story of Sharife from Afganistan

« … I would very much like to continue learning Greek , because I feel my progress is obvious. I have never felt such warmth and never loved a lesson that much.. “

Sharife is a woman from Afghanistan where, before leaving, she had a comfortable life and even operated her own business. However, in January 2016, due to safety problems in her country, she and her husband made a decision to leave the country with their children and to reach Germany.

An important motive for the couple’s decision was their desire to ensure safety for their children and their right for going to school and studying. They managed to arrive in Greece, and after successive changes in their place of residence, they ended up in a hosting campus in Attica.

Realizing, though, that their prospects in Greece were limited, they decided to continue their journey to Germany. Initially, it was Sharife’s husband who left and arrived in Germany. The youngest son followed due to his serious health problem as he needed immediate medical treatment. Sharife had to trust the child in a family she had met, who were going from Greece to Germany.

Everything turned out well and the child met his father. Recently, Sherife with the rest of the family members in Greece have started the process for their family to be reunified in Germany. Meanwhile tough and since her husband left, Sharife’s life has changed significantly! The difficulties she faces in raising her as children on her own, are many: she worries about their safety and feels strongly the responsibility she has undertaken. The best possible care of her children is her main concern in all her decisions.

The story of Ilaf from Iraq

y@nnis — Sat, 05 Oct 2019 14:18:02 +0000

«Today I can say for sure that I should have started my lessons in Greek earlier»

Ilaf is 19 years old and since 2017, she has been living in Greece. She comes from Iraq and her native language is Sorani. In the end of 2016, she decided to leave Iraq with her family, being already married and pregnant on her first child. The undergoing war between two tribes at the area of her origin, as well as her pregnancy, were the main reasons that made her leave her country for Europe. Ilaf left Iraq with her husband and his own family (father, mother and sister), with the unique initial desire to be able to live in safety.