OCC’s women space project

From Women Space to Eco Salon: Culture and empowerment in Polykastro

A safe space for processing own experiences, an opportunity for personal growth and an exchange between different cultures; all of this, and so much more, is what OCC’s Women Space represented for many women living in the area of Polykastro, of all ages, religion and nationality. Indeed, as the organization’s main goal is to promote the integration of refugees in Greek society, the space soon opened to welcome local women, becoming a point of cultural exchange, where the two worlds can engage in mutual learning about the various conceptions of womanhood.

Neither the European Union has failed to recognize the full potential of this concept, and has therefore decided to financially support Open Cultural Center in the development of the new project called “Eco Salon”: officially started in April this year, its focus is on the reaching of the well-being in all its nuances, pursued through physical, cultural and emotional self-care activities.

During the time spent with the volunteers, indeed, the attendees pursued their inner well-being through meditation yoga and stretching, experimented with the creation of natural skin care products and improved their ability in the kitchen through workshops of cooking and baking, but also without forgetting about activities traditionally stereotyped as “male stuff”, such as football and bikes: thanks to the help of the volunteers, many women not only learned how to ride a bike, but also acquired basic fixing skills for minor damages.

If during the acute period of the pandemic the facility was forced to close its doors, and rely on just online activities, the Women Space volunteers are now ready to welcome back whoever is interested to discuss and analyze the many shapes of female empowerment.