Some statistics (29/10/2017):

• We host on a daily basis 160-180 people in separate rooms. In total, from the start of WELCOMMON’s operation to the present day we have accommodated 534 refugees. More than 50% were children and under 18 years old. At WELCOMMON they stay for a few weeks to a few months, having not only bed and food but also comprehensive socio-psychological and medical support as well as support for social inclusion.
• We host many pregnant women and also babies born during the time that their refugee parents came to our place. Babies who, although refugees start their lives in a welcoming and safe environment, such as WELCOMMON, not in a tent or in mud. From its inception to the present day we have taken care of (and continue to take care of) the aim of protecting the health of our guests as well as public health in general:

–32 newborn babies (0-12 months) together with their mothers, who either were born while their mothers were housed in WELCOMMON or the family moved to the center just after their birth.

We also host:

-9 people with special needs.

-55 people with severe health problems.

-17 people with psychiatric problems.

• We have already vaccinated 114 children. Although 95% of the refugees we hosted at the beginning of our project originally came from Syria and spoke mainly Arabic, today our guests come from 18 countries and speak 11 different languages and dialects. We make sure we have interpreters and social mediators for everyone.
• Our temporary guests tend now to be recognized refugees who will stay in our country. They are selected and sent to us by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and are the most vulnerable of the refugees (women with babies or pregnant ones, single-parent families often with many children, victims of torture, rape and trafficking, disabled by war or torture, people with medical and pharmaceutical support needs, such as cancer patients and others).

WELCOMMON was honored on June 8, 2017 and with the “Special Mention” award under the REVES Excellence Award 2017, among several projects from 7 different countries.

• At WELCOMMON today are working 30-32 people, many of them long-term unemployed Greeks and some refugees / migrants living in Greece for many years.From the stage of preparation of the center until today, over 150 volunteers from different countries from 4 continents have supported us from 2 weeks to 6 months. It is also for them an important experience and an opportunity to acquire know-how (much more if they have relevant knowledge or work professionally in relevant fields).