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In the street of OHF
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The Victoria Community Center is located in a street full of history. But in order to continue writing the history of OHF, we need your help!
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οδος φυλης - fylis street
Where is the Victoria Community Center actually located?
After an insight into the inside of our building in the last newsletter, today we introduce you to the street in which our building is located.
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Welcome to “οδος φυλης - fylis street”
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The weekly street market, brothels, sex workers, squats, drug addicts, families, supermarkets, neoclassical and newer buildings, restaurants, and the Victoria Community Center all share something in common: the street we are located on: Odos Fylis, a street full of history, diversity, darkness, beauty, sadness, and differences.
The street that, with social interactions, spirit, dynamic, and movement, brings us joy and unity is also a street connected to many dark moments involving murder, hate crimes, and sex trafficking and serves as a microcosm encapsulating both the beauty and darkness that can exist within an urban context.
Fylis street changed a lot over the time. Around the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Fylis was loosely populated and had mansions with orchards, gardens, and vineyards. In the mid-1970s, the social geography of the street changed. Former rich building owners left Fylis, and numerous brothels made their appearance, as did the first building occupations. As a working-class street in Athens, Fylis became home to many non-Greek residents with diverse food shops, call centers, money exchange offices, barbershops, and unfortunately also racist hate crimes, latest in July 23; the brutal murder of Anna, a trans woman murdered in her home on Fylis street.
Fylis’ unique character is also preserved in the form of poems, songs, and paintings and used in artistic expressions. One of them is called "The Road Has Its Own History: Fylis street" by Athina Konstantoula; you can find the translated Poem below.
Fylis Street today serves as a reminder that urban spaces are not monolithic but are rather a tapestry of experiences, emotions, and histories, where people from diverse backgrounds come together to create a unique and dynamic community. Despite everything, we are happy that Victoria CC is located on Fylis giving us the chance to offer a much needed safe space to everyone, especially people from this neighbourhood.
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Socks and WIFI for a happier place
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Our fundraising campaign has started, but there is still a lot to do to reach our target. That's why we would like to introduce you to two items from our webshop in more detail.
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Firstly: Guess who’s back, back again, our safe passage socks!
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Safe passage is the clear demand for safe routes on land, sea, and sky for everyone seeking safety and the freedom of movement for everyone.
With these socks, you state that you support the demand for safe passage for all!
Not only will these socks keep two feet happy and warm, but each pair also supports the running of the Victoria Community Center. The safe passage socks are very comfortable, made from high quality cotton in Germany and Switzerland, go well with any outfit and at the same time do good and state a necessary demand. So what are you waiting for - they make an ideal gift for yourself or others! Two happy feet for One Happy Family!
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Secondly: Did you know that you can buy Wifi for the Victoria Community Center in our online shop? In VCC, One Happy Family provides free Wifi and phone charging stations for a daily average of 200 visitors and 10 working organisations.
With just 100 euros you can ensure this service for a month.
But, why is being connected to Wifi and having an unlimited and fast network important for people visiting the Victoria CC? Here some examples:
- Communication and connections; be it on the ground for translations, talk to lawyers, doctors, social workers, friends and more, or to stay connected with family and friends elsewhere in the world.
- Networking and building a social capital in order to access a new community and culture, attend events, receive emotional support, or engage in advocacy support.
- Access to information of any kind: asylum laws, systems of residing country, news...
- Education and skill development, for online classes, education tools and certification, to access education when placed remotely.
- Job and apartment search, to do online application and prepare necessary documents or communicate with relevant people.
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- Mental health and well-being through stress relief, positive distraction and entertainment and access to online service such as counselling.
- Share their own voices, build platforms, do advocacy, connect with others (NGOs, journalists...), to navigate challenges and advocate for people’s own rights.
- Documentation and legal support, to document experiences, save and upload important documents.
Help us to continue to provide free Wifi and phone charging stations as a practical approach to empower people to be self-sufficient, participate, reduce reliance on aid and give simple access to critical resources, information, and opportunities.
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Thank you for taking the time to keep up to date about OHF. If you have not yet supported us as part of the campaign, click on one of the buttons now and help us reach our goal of CHF 200 000 together. We can reach this goal even faster if you tell as many people as possible about OHF and this campaign! Many thanks to all of you for your support!
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Content: Alicia Garcia Romeral, Johanna Käser and others
Date: 04.11.23
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