The third interview of the cycle for the European Youth Week is about solidarity. In the times that we are living now, the solidarity is a very important issue and it’s sure that the after-covid scenario, will need the support of all the society. From the perspective of a young Greek woman, we will analyze how solidarity is experienced by the youth.
For this topic, we have interviewed Αnastasía Τεγουγιάννη, a young teacher from Thessaloniki, who wants to specialize in special education. He is a person with great ambitions, to advance professionally and to meet all the world. Here we go with the questions:
What is your vision about the solidarity? Do you think is important?, or it is something that is not for you?
Yes, I think solidarity is the characteristic that makes us humans… It is not a specific action but the will to help in any way or contribute without thinking of taking something back is a way of life I can say. I think that it is very important because we are making good to ourselves also, when you help you are getting joy and feeling full. I think everyone must feel this experience because solidarity makes you feel good in the inside.
Do you think the youth is committed with the solidarity and volunteering work?
I think that, in one way, they are committed. As I said, solidarity is a way if living, and here in Thessaloniki are many self-organised places with young people (mainly) who collect food for poor people, or teach without paying, giving dance lessons or some other activities to the others. So, many young people contribute and support solidarity and volunteering work. For me, they are connected. Because of volunteering, we can learn many things… that is why I believe is connected with young people, because they have the option to learn and have new experiences without having to find a job.
Have you had experiences with solidarity or do you know from someone? Some bad experience?
When I was at the university in Alexandoupoli, a city in Greece next to Turkey, I was working as a volunteer in a hospitality centre for refugees called ARSIS, for a year. There, I was helping to a 9 years old girl called Fatima with her homework. I was also helping other children when they needed some other help or if their teachers couldn't be for some reason.
Moreover, in Alexandroupoli we had a place for university students which it was self-organised and I was contributing to collect money and food for refugees. Also this place, was making solidarity in many different ways and it was totally against racism and sexism. There were university students that were working as volunteers and they created groups to do art, or dance, etc. I was member of two groups for a while. Here in Thessaloniki there are places like this, but unfortunately I work every days, so it is difficult for me now to contribute and be part of some of them.
I had one bad experience, some months before. It wasn’t related with these self-organised places that I mentioned before or volunteering work. I have a place where I can call friends to come, or to go to relax and has a bed and some basic stuff for somebody to live there. Someday, I heard that a friend of a friend of mine (i didn't know her), was so sad about a situation in her house and she couldn't afford it and she needed a place to go for some days to relax.
When I heard that without second thoughts, although I didn’t actually know her, I arranged as soon as I could to meet her, to give her the keys to go and stay as much as she needs to feel better (of course without paying nothing). This house is not the house where I live in, so it was not so clean. After some days, I didn’t receive any message from her, not even a thank you… I asked her if everything was ok and she answered like: Oh, I didn't stayed of course... the house was so dirty and there were cockroaches… It was a bit disappointing… And I was happy inside because I knew I was helping her but this way to appreciate was really bad…
How do you see the people that is excluded? For example the immigrants, prostitutes, refugees? Do you think they need more public or solidarity help?
I think that people who is excluded needs more help. Actually, most of the refugees are living in places that are not actually liveable... Because are too many people in one room and they don’t have even the basic things. For example, Moria, in greek island Lesvos, which it was a refugee camp before it get burned, hosted near three times more of the people that it could actually host.
Some people say that refugees or immigrants get payed by the government every month but I don’t know if this is actually happening. For me, everyone could help in their way to people that really need it, even if they are refugees, homeless etc. I feel sorry for them because is not their choice and there are people that are blaming them all the time. For example, a refugee who has to escape from a war or a woman or man that because the economic situation become a prostitute, they have to deal with a strong exclusion. I think that this is difficult and we have to support them.
How is the system of solidarity here in Greece?
Greek government has an institution that has the responsability with allowances and social solidarity. It provides money to people that have really low income, to people who have disabilities, to refugees (but as I said before I am not sure if everyone takes it or only a small amount of people… I don’t know) and in general, this public organization help the people who have needs. But I haven’t studied much about it to analyse what exactly is happening. Also the European Union gives funds to build refugee buildings, but as I know regarding to what I have heard or see on photos, the circumstances in these places are not decent.
How do you think the solidarity will change in the next years? After Covid? With the increase of the capitalist world?
I think in the next years, many people will start to support solidarity even if they haven’t done it before because everyone, all of us, we have lived this difficult situation with the Covid pandemic or we know people that have lost their job, their company, their house.... So I hope that many people will start help each other, because they know how everyone is feeling this crisis. But some others I think that will be obsessed of finding a well-paid job to get money, because they are afraid about this crisis would repeat… or many people that never will be interested on helping the others, and this is so sad.
Comments