Today was the first day that we split up into two groups for the day’s activities. One group went to Glyfada to participate in the Bluprint business surveys that we'd learned about the day before, and another smaller group (of only girls) went to the Center of Hope to help with activities and to meet some of the refugee women there.
The business surveys were a unique experience that exposed us to Greek culture and Greek people, particularly in a small business context. Our task was to approach different business and ask the owner a few questions about their business and their plans for its future. This activity was especially important in helping us better understand the current events in Greek culture, particularly the financial crisis. Also, these surveys provided information for the Bluprint project to use in order to better assess the needs of the business community, and therefore, direct and shape the goals of this up and coming project.
The group that went to the Center of Hope learned a lot about the program itself and the multiple sub-programs that they have in place for refugee women. The program which we were able to experience was called Open Talk, a time for refugee women to share their experiences with a group of other women, encouraging them to open up about their stories. Though there was a language barrier, meeting these refugee women was an enlightening experience. We also participated in helping to create signs that better indicated to the refugee women what the schedule of offered programs looked like for the week.
Later on that afternoon, both groups met up at the Damaris House, which is an anti-trafficking ministry. There we learned from Argyris and Dina Petrou about their work--housing and providing programs to assist women who have been trafficked. They shared briefly about the hardships these women and their children face and the battle to overcome trauma. We learned that the Damaris House runs the only long-term recovery program for trafficked women and their children in Greece, and that there is a huge need as the ministry has grown exponentially in only a little more than a year.
The business surveys were a unique experience that exposed us to Greek culture and Greek people, particularly in a small business context. Our task was to approach different business and ask the owner a few questions about their business and their plans for its future. This activity was especially important in helping us better understand the current events in Greek culture, particularly the financial crisis. Also, these surveys provided information for the Bluprint project to use in order to better assess the needs of the business community, and therefore, direct and shape the goals of this up and coming project.
The group that went to the Center of Hope learned a lot about the program itself and the multiple sub-programs that they have in place for refugee women. The program which we were able to experience was called Open Talk, a time for refugee women to share their experiences with a group of other women, encouraging them to open up about their stories. Though there was a language barrier, meeting these refugee women was an enlightening experience. We also participated in helping to create signs that better indicated to the refugee women what the schedule of offered programs looked like for the week.
Later on that afternoon, both groups met up at the Damaris House, which is an anti-trafficking ministry. There we learned from Argyris and Dina Petrou about their work--housing and providing programs to assist women who have been trafficked. They shared briefly about the hardships these women and their children face and the battle to overcome trauma. We learned that the Damaris House runs the only long-term recovery program for trafficked women and their children in Greece, and that there is a huge need as the ministry has grown exponentially in only a little more than a year.
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| At the offices of Damaris House |
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