Thousands of migrants starve in Greece after cutting their support program

In one of the poorest neighborhoods of Athens, dozens of migrant women and young children lined up to receive food donations due to cuts in Greek programs assisting refugees.

33-year-old Nigerian Deniz Yobou carefully selected enough rice, lentils, flour, and biscuits to stock her kitchen for the coming month.

Yobou, a mother of two and the sole provider for her children, saw her salary evaporate this year due to the rising cost of living in Greece. She earns less than 500 euros ($550) per month from her part-time cleaning job, barely enough to cover her rent of $350.

She told Agence France-Presse (AFP), "Many times, by mid-month, I don't have enough money left to feed my children."

Greece continues to reduce the aid provided to asylum seekers and refugees amid stricter policies towards migrants across Europe.

Financial assistance, totaling a few hundred euros per month, ceases once an asylum seeker obtains refugee status.

In December, Athens terminated a program funded by the European Union that had been providing rent subsidies to tens of thousands of refugees over the past seven years.

At the time, the Minister of Migration, Notis Mitarachi, stated that "the program had fulfilled its mission," adding that "a small number" of applicants were relocated to "modern" camps.

Among those who ended up on the streets due to this measure was 20-year-old Fahima from Afghanistan. She found herself undocumented and unable to access any government assistance.

She said, "I am in a difficult situation because I don't receive any government assistance, and I cannot find work."

Over the past 18 months, the humanitarian group Intersos has provided food supplies to over 5,000 migrants and refugees, including 54 minors.

According to Matina Stamatiadou, the coordinator of the "Food for All" program, beneficiaries include rejected asylum seekers, migrants without proper documentation, and others who may be employed or receive "poverty wages."

In just one year, the waiting list has quadrupled to over 2,000 people, Stamatiadou said.

Priority is given to applicants facing severe hardship, such as single mothers or individuals with serious health issues.

Stamatiadou stated, "Greece still sees itself as a transit country. But many refugees have been living here for several years and want to integrate."

"However, the government has failed to implement effective policies for this purpose," she added.

Apostolos Veizis, the General Director of Intersos Greece, estimates that nearly 15,000 refugees in Athens are unable to access full daily meals. He said, "When hungry, you cannot search for work or deal with legal procedures or health issues."

In such circumstances, "to obtain money, you must be prepared to expose yourself to danger, engage in illegal activities, and borrow without the ability to repay," Veizis explained.

Approximately 60% of those receiving assistance from organizations used to receive sufficient food supplies once or twice a week, exposing them to severe food insecurity according to UN standards.

Veizis affirms that hunger also has severe implications on the physical and mental development of children.

30-year-old Cynthia Evionandi from Nigeria stated, "Sometimes my children cannot go to school because they are tired due to hunger."

She added, "We hear terrible stories about teenage girls not attending school because they are menstruating, and their families cannot afford sanitary pads for them." She also shared accounts of hungry children fainting in classrooms.




AFP