The smell of Arabic coffee in a refugee camp on Christmas Day

I haven’t had a good’ Arabic coffee’ for many a year. On Christmas Day that changed…

I was touched by the warmth of our reception when eight of us arrived at the Kophinou Refugee
Camp. We were immediately asked to join three Syrian women for a coffee, one
being my ever-smiling contact, Sahar. With cardamom-flavoured coffee scenting the air, we
chatted about life in the camp, what they do – Sahar is the children’s teacher- what the conditions
are, which turned out to be better than I had anticipated, and some of their histories.

There are about 300 there, including about 90 children, mostly Syrian, some Lebanese & a few from Yemen, Somalia and Congo.

We then went to the class room to unload. After I sent out the appeal for donations, many people responded very generously. With the almost €200 donated, I bought a lot of art materials from play-dough, to glitter via pots of paint and coloured paper. Also 10 footballs as requested and fruit juices for all.

Also donated were English text books, basketballs, clothing, bedding (requested), men’s shoes – much needed – dry food, fruit. Supermarkets also donated chocolates, biscuits and drinks, with books and stationary from bookshops.  Finally there were the wonderful fresh-baked goodies brought by those who came with me.

All this was unloaded in a semi-orderly/very excited fashion, the children keen to ‘investigate’. But Sahar, being in charge, sensibly put away to use or hand out at the appropriate times.  After a bit of playing ball with the children, we left, wiser as to the needs (track suits, which will be bought with more money promised and for me, humbled by the cheerfulness, hospitality, warmth and kindness shown to us. I will be back there soon. It was a ‘win-win’ day. The refugees were helped and I felt we had ‘done something’, albeit VERY
small. Many thanks to Karsaras, Alpha Sigma, Bibliohora, Tzartas and Kyriacou Bookshops.

Penny Douglas, Limassol

To contact Kophinou Refugee Camp for donations tel 24322959 (NGO Future
Worlds Centre)

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