“NO” for the publication of refugee’s image

Statement of the staff of Przystanek “Świetlica” for refugee children.

As workers of Przystanek “Świetlica”, who work with refugees every day, we would like to put the spotlight on a media phenomenon that is deeply concerning for us. We know that some organizations and innitiatives put out their beneficiaries’ image (meaning faces) on social media etc. Our policy strictly forbids that – except for the instance when we recieve a fully concious consent from the person, after talking to the about possible consequences of their face being published on the internet.

The risks that stop us from publishing pictures that allow to identify the person are:

– being looked for by their country of origin’s officials or different people that were once their persecutors and which they run away from,

– being looked for by their local diaspora, that she might not want to be identified by,

– beeing looked for by people involved in criminal activities (ex. smugglers, who are expecting payments),

Above all, we highly value the safety culture and a culture of high respect for privacy. We understand that internet algorythms, just like humans’ eyes tend to like looking for faces. But we appeal to all organisations and innitiative to think whether stripping their refugee beneficiaries of anonymity is the right thing to do. There are different ways of showing our work: pictures of backs, half-profiles taken from behind the person, covering them with drawings or even emojis. Faces are attractive, buy doesn’t the danger that comes with their publication outweight the benefits of more followers?

Keeping beneficiaries anonymous is before all just respect. We shouldn’t, especially as entities specializing in help for them, use their tragedy to arouse more sympathy among our recipients. Taking pictures usually crosses some barrier and shows the true impact of the uneven dynamic between refugees and organisation’s workers. Even if they agree to the picture being taken, they might still have an internal coersion to do it – because they might be scared help will be taken away from them or that they should somehow pay back for the help that has been given to them. The “Afghan girl” was pictured under the author’s persuasions, and she showed her face to a strager man only after more requests. The photographer allegedly told her that this is how he’ll “show her story” to the world, and right after that he manipulated the story in a way to profit more off of the girl’s tragedy and looks – not giving her any of the money made.

Our message is simple: refugees are more than crying faces on our screens. Let’s not put them in dangerous, uncomfortable positions and use them as objects for the bettering of our social media performances or own well-being.

What did our 2022 look like?

This was a time of changes in the world, in Poland and in our Foundation. Next to our usual programmes we faced many challenges, especially since the beginning of the war in Ukraine and the current humanitarian crisis on the Polish-Belarussian boarder.

Ukraine

The Russian agression on Ukraine changed lives of millions of people dramatically. Poles did a lot of good together, and us in the Foundation of course tried to chip in our part. In a freeshop located in Siostry Plotą on pl. Hallera we gave out food, clothes and different urgently needed products for the first months of the war for around 2500 people. In April we created a support point for families: 68 women attended our polish lessons, orientation courses, workshops and support groups. In the end of summer, thanks to a UNHCR innitiative we created a BLUE DOT “Plich-o-plich” that we co-run with Polish Migration Forum (Polskie Forum Migracyjne) and Foundation Our Choice (Fundacja Nasz Wybór). There, we created a space for developement and play for small children – 146 preeschoolers found a safe space there.

Rys. Katarzyna Strankowska
drużyna młodych piłkarzy z Ukrainy

Play4Ukraine

In the autumn we started working intensly with refugee youth currently living in Humanitarian Aid Centre Modlińska 6D in Warsaw. Since October 57 boys and girls train football and volleyball, get to know Warsaw, it’s attractions and meet with polish youth. The programme is finansed by USAID.

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Grupa Granica

In the shadow of the war in Ukraine the division between “good” and “bad” refugees continues. That’s why we keep growing our network of volunteers who help those crossing the Belarussian border. Last year it was 120 refugees in closed and open facilities. We also provide aid to different people without a polish passport, who ended up in Warsaw and need clothes, shoes, translators, basic emotional support, legal aid, sudden medical help and support in a search for a job.

Fot. Karol Grygoruk

Przystanek Świetlica

This was another year of intense work in the local foreigner community in special centers. In the spring, CitiBank volunteers renovated our recreation room. In the summer in Dębak one of the buildings was closed completely and most residents were moved to a center in Linin. We followed them there and soon opened another recreation room, hence now we run two. Around 80 small refugees participated in our activities during 598 hours (150 days) and 12 full-day trips. Besides that, we included 60 families into our aid programme: 226 hours of individual work, 192 hours of a cultural assistant’s work and 6 hours of workshops for adults. One of the most joyful days was an integrational event in Podkowa Leśna. The programme was financed by Foundation Drzewo i Jutro, EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, Americares and IKEA.

Workshops in schools

For a couple of years now our intercultural workshops for elementary schools are getting more interest in our city. In 2022 we visited 21 schools, in which we conducted 56 four-hour workshops for 1122 students. In a separate cycle we trained educators and teachers. The project was finansed by the funds of city of Warsaw.

szkola wieloklturowa

Etnoliga

Last year we held two regular editions of Etnoliga, in which nearly half a thousand people from several dozen countries participated. We organised two charity tournaments for Ukraine and Colombia. Our sport community was joined by refugees from behind the easter boarder and young people from all around the world. Besides, we started our partnership with Hegemon Rugby club from Mysłowice and we prepared 12 sports workshops for children and youth participating in Summer in the city programme. Etnoliga was finansed from private contributions, DEAR programme (in collaboration with Centre of Citizen Education/Centrum Edukacji Obywatelskiej), Leopold Kronenberg’s Citi Handlowy Foundation, Humanity Now Foundation and adidas Football Collective.

Women’s* Football as a Means of Change

Towards the end of the year a brochure titled “Jak pisać i mówić o kobietach i osobach LGBT+ w sporcie”/“How to write and talk about women and LGBT+ people in sports” was released. That marked the end of our project finansed by EEA – Active Citizens Fund, but we continue our partnership with KAP Family and KS Chrząszczyki.

Witaj w Klubie

Together with PZPN we started a project about crosscultural education in football clubs all across Poland. Last year we prepared a concept of a textbook and trainings for trainers and managers, that we’ll start in 2023. This is a big challenge, but also a huge source of happiness for us, since our competentions were appreciated and we’ll be able to share our experiences with people in charge of football, also outside of the capital.

YARSPE

After big shifts due to COVID-19 pandemic, we started working again with the youth in Zacisze. Teenagers discovered their strong sides, improved their skills and worked as voluntees. Movement workshops, rock-climbing, cycle trips, flower planting – every week they had loads of physical activities and important conversations. Towards the end of the year we expanded our work to Ukrainian youth from Humanitarian Aid Center and one of varsovian high schools.

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Our team

Our team was joined by two Ukrainians, but also Poles and Belarussians. Now there’s over 20 of us – two times more than last year! It’s trainers, educators and guardians – all with loads of experience in work with the youth. Part of them are refugees. Out of necessity we expanded our administrative and human resources sections. We changed our accountant company and enrolled a person responsible for our social media.