Knitting For Greece: Supporting the DocMobile Project in 2017
I spent most of last summer in Greece, supporting national and local support groups to provide aid for the refugees stranded in Greece. Their situation has not improved at all since then, lots of families are still waiting for relocation (if they’re lucky) or living in the streets and parks. We supported this by knitting for Greece.
This summer I’ll go back to Greece and work with the DocMobile project again, and I’m asking for your support today.
About the DocMobile Project
The goal of this project is the continuous medical care of those seeking protection in the camps, roads and forests of Northern Greece.
For this purpose, the DocMobile is operating a mobile medical practice in the form of a Mercedes Benz 308 D-P, specially designed and installed for the application; and a former ambulance vehicle. The mobile doctor’s offices provide sufficient space for the initial care by a team of physician and assistant, as well as sufficient storage space for medicines and dressing material.
Why Do I Care? And Why Should You?
I’m living in Germany and luckily have been born in another rich west European country – Austria, another central European country just besides Germany. I never had to experience war, crisis, or anything likely threatening my family, and neither have you I hope. I never had to starve, I always had access to well funded medical care and nobody ever threatened me in a serious way. I received a very good education and am grateful for this. I had a happy, lovely, peaceful childhood and my own kids are growing up the same.
I am living in a peaceful country. I never had to question my safety or the safety of my family. You, hopefully, had never to question this either.
We take this for granted. At least, I did so far.
Within the last year, as long as the so-called “Balkan Route” via Greece, Macedonia and the Balkan states towards Austria and Germany has been left open, lots of Syrian refugees arrived here. Germany did its best to welcome them, and we are starting to integrate them as good as we can. We’re not perfect (who is, after all?) but at least all this people are safe now.
Last spring, Macedonia closed this route.
About half a million of people are left in devastating conditions in Greece.
Most of them are stuck in military camps with bad or no healthcare, or even living in the streets. Babies are born in unspeakable conditions, mothers of newborns are thrown out of Greek hospitals together with their kids with no future care or into military camps where sexual harassment is omnipresent. Friends of mine, volunteer German doctors in Greece currently, told me about infected navels of newborns they cannot treat accordingly as there are is no antibiotics available for people without money. They brought medication and material from Germany but it’s just not enough to help all this people.
Help Me Supporting Them
Even helpers need some support, and here comes the point where I’m asking for your help.
I created a coupon code for all my knitting patterns and books which enables pattern purchases at 30% off. The code is docmobile2017 and valid both in the shop at knitting.today and on Ravelry.
All money from purchases using this code will be used to support our work with the DocMobile.
To give you an impression what we did last year, I added a few pictures below. Thank you for your consideration and all your support!
Yours truly,
Julia <3
