Polish aid for refugees has arrived in Greece
29.09.2020
In response to the Hellenic of Migration and Asylum’s request to support the Reception and Asylum Service during the Covid-19 pandemic the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland purchased 156 modular houses (Refugee Housing Units) and donated them to the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, with an aim to improve housing conditions for refugees and migrants in the refugee centers located in Greece.
The cargo was transported to Greece by three trucks, arrived on 29 of September 2020 nad was handed over in a presence of the Ambassador of Poland Artur Lompart and Major General Dimitrios Sigoulakis. The Refugee Housing Units will be temporarily stored in a military warehouse near Athens until their final location is determined by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.
The modular houses funded by the Government of the Republic of Poland can safely accommodate up to 780 people in decent conditions, even in winter. They cannot replace permanent housing but for a limited period of time they can be used as a reliable, stable and weather – proof accommodation for migrants and asylum seekers left without shelter in the turbulent times of COVID -19 pandemic.
The Refugee Housing Units are non-flammable, resistant to wind and rain. Their structure is adapted to winter conditions thanks to the insulating foam and connection to the stove. The modular house has 3 years of life expectancy with basic maintenance, depending on climate and upkeep. In case of damage, individual parts can be replaced. The frame of a modular house can be further enriched with local materials and can be turned into a more durable shelter. The modular house is designed for 5 people and has an area of 17.5 m2 (3.5 m2 per person). If necessary, the RHU can be disassembled, repackaged, moved and reassembled.
The producer of Refuge Housing Units is the Polish enterprise Better Shelter, a development partner of UNHCR and the IKEA Foundation. Components for houses are manufactured in Poland, Sweden and China; the final assemblage is carried out in Gdańsk (Poland).
The implementation of the project is the responsibility of the Polish Center for International Aid (PCPM), a leading partner of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs providing humanitarian and development aid abroad. PCPM works closely with the UN and the WHO. In the last 8 years PCPM has completed over 110 projects in more than 12 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Poland is a donor of humanitarian aid. In 2019 both via multilateral and bilateral channels Poland provided humanitarian assistance for the Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, IDPs in Iraq and hosting communities, as well as Yemenis IDPs amounting to ca. PLN 71 million. In 2020 Poland’s humanitarian response is also focused on the Middle East countries. Our goal is to address the root causes of illegal migration and mitigate its consequences. During the European Union and the United Nations co-chaired the fourth Brussels Conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the region” Poland’s pledge amounted to over PLN 17 million.
Our bilateral assistance is focused mostly on Lebanon, Jordan, Iraqi Kurdistan and Syria. This year we have supported bilateral humanitarian projects run by Polish NGOs in health and shelter sectors with PLN 7,1 million as well as projects run by our diplomatic posts that amounted to ca. PLN 300 000.
Multilaterally, since 2016 Poland has supported the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis - MADAD, Facility for Refugees in Turkey, EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross and UN agencies specializing in humanitarian aid such as UNHCR, UNICEF, UNOCHA, UNDP, UN HABITAT.
Photo. A. Sokulski
