2017 Refugee Project
2017 Refugee Project
2017 Refugee Project
2017 Refugee Project
2017 Refugee Project
This campaign is closed
2017 Refugee Project
PROJECT ABSTRACT
FPITS INTL and Mannakin theater and dance is seeking a grant to help provide education, entertainment, and relief services to the refugees currently housed at the refugee camps in Harmanli Bulgaria and Vrajdebna Bulgaria. The objective is that by the end of our visit we will have provided a feeling of solidarity and community to the people fleeing oppressive regimes and war and to improve the living conditions of those people. Our 2017 program is based on our experience working in the camp in 2014 and 2016. Funding of $60,000 is requested for training of staff providing resources to refugees, workshop supplies, building supplies, educational supplies, clothing and toys, technical equipment, travel expenses, and food expenses.
STATEMENT OF NEED
The Harmanli and Vrajdebna camps are populated largely by Syrian refugees fleeing the destruction of their homeland caused by the ongoing war. The camps are located at a former military bases meant for many fewer people and not set up for children and families. On our first visit to harmanli, a military base built for housing 1,000 people helped over 1,400. Today, the population numbers around 4,000. The Syrian refugees have been the object of the xenophobia by many people in Europe being expressed in many different ways from taunts and subtle racism to overt violence. Our time with the people at the camp will provide the people with a message from the empathetic people of the world that we stand in solidarity with them in more ways than just in words. We also hope to offer a short respite for the children at the camp and to leave behind resources for enjoyment and education.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Our outreach project has several aims, both short and long term. Our daily program is planned to create a fun educational atmosphere for children of all ages. The goal of the daily programs is not only the learning of the subject matter at hand but also social skills that all humans require to exist in a community. While in exile from their homeland, the children are missing out on valuable social skills that will benefit them and their chosen community that we hope to provide through small group projects and adventures. Increased stress is harmful to the developing mind of a child. Our program will be mindful of the need for intervention that will decrease the stress of Displacement, loss of family and community, lack of stability, and war, so they are granted some respite from the harsh realities of the life of a refugee.
programs include:
-dance workshops with Serbian National Ballet members
-nightly films and cartoons from Media Decompression Collective
-creative and stimulating games promoting cooperation
-art classes
-open group discussions
-structural improvements to the campgrounds
-gardening
-first aid training
-music performances
-ecological educational
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Through education, games, and community beautification we hope to bolster the morale and self esteem of the refugees in this time of dire need. We hope to bring a message to them that many people in the world support them and their struggle.
We hope to document our time there and share the story through film documentation, audio interviews, music, and a printed account of our time there.
Our plan is to follow up on several peoples story to provide a comprehensive picture of what life is like growing up as a refugee.
We will also provide a computer for educational purposes to the classroom used to teach several classes as well as art and writing supplies.
We hope to beautify the grounds of the camp thru gardening, painting, and the creation of several sports areas including the transformation of the open square into a skateboarding area. The benefit of this is that the construction of ones own habitat helps to build community and helps people to feel connected to the place they are living. This investment of space helps with the feeling of hopelessness and the sense that their future is in the hands of others.
TIMELINE
Day 1
meet the camp director, teachers, camp leaders, general population.
Day 2
documentation of the camp by means of video, audio, and photography. Meeting with our volunteers to develop the workshop schedule to better suit the camp population using information gathered the first 2 days. General introduction to the camp population. First of the nightly films
Day 3
workshops begin. Most workshops will last 5 days
Those workshops include:
-Juggling
-Double Dutch (jump rope)
-modern dance
-basic journalism
-Zine creation
-First aid
-Gardening
-Plant identification, use of plants in everyday life
-General art
-planning and construction of play areas
-video/audio/photographic documentation
-community activism, planning and implementation
----open discussions (facilitated by an fpits volunteer)
gender equality
subtle sexism
conflict resolution
several workshops have overlapping subject matter and will be held at different times. For example, basic journalism workshop participants would likely also attend the zine creation, and video/audio/photographic documentation.
Day 4
continuation of workshops
nighttime film/cartoon screenings
Day 5
continuation of workshops
nighttime film/cartoon screenings
Day 6
continuation of workshops
nighttime film/cartoon screenings
Day 7
continuation of workshops
nighttime film/cartoon screenings
Day 8
final projects of workshops
-completion of zine, sent to printers
-dance performance by the dance workshop participants
-music performance by the music workshop participants
-tour of the garden space
-tour of the beautification project
Day 9
Final celebration in the main square with tea, and food
Day 10
day of “goodbye's for now”