in the autumn of 2011, a group of likeminded local people made a decision to rent premises, and named it after a traditional children’s game called ambariza, with the aim of establishing a base and launching pad for a wide range of social and cultural activities.

the idea was to create a collectively run space to promote shared ideals of social solidarity, democracy, comradeship, mutual respect, active resistance and last but by no means least, the joys of life.

a space organized to address our reality, run according to real needs and not dictated by the 15^th imf loan installment or ms merkel’s extortion.

a local cultural and social center of solidarity and participation where local people, bodies and organizations can meet together, organize political and social events and actions, hold discussions, attend film screenings, book presentations, art exhibitions, photography exhibitions, musical evenings and much more…. 

on the other hand, we also felt the need to stand up against the distressing sights seen daily in our town, images of people going through rubbish bins for food, children fainting from hunger in the classroom, queues for free hand-outs and food at soup kitchens, suicides. no self-respecting people should be reduced to such humiliating dire straits.

thus in september 2012, the movement known as resistance and solidarity action – no middlemen was born, launched and organized by ordinary, everyday citizens as a practical way of addressing the problem of the provision of affordable groceries. what we did was bring the producers into direct contact with the consumer and as a result, over 400 tons of produce were made available to consumers saving them a considerable amount of money (hundreds of thousands of euro in total).

at the same time, at the cultural and social center of ambariza itself, a group of volunteers set up a counseling service for households burdened by overwhelming debt. these householders had previously taken out mortgages and loans and now either have much reduced incomes or have been made redundant and are unable to make the repayments and are in imminent danger of losing the roof over their heads.

in the last two years, ambariza has become more and more involved in social support and solidarity activities in an attempt to increase morale and keep fellow citizens on their feet and with their heads above water. just a sample of such activities are: bazaars organized regularly offering free clothing, footwear and school supplies: prescription drugs and baby milk collected and regularly delivered to the solidarity pharmacy of the area where those in need are given free health advice and medication: staple food items given out free to about 140 local families in need: a group of unemployed meet at the center to make and sell cheap, quality soaps.

lately, we are considering setting up a co-operative store that will allow quality goods and fresh produce to be sold cheaply to local residents on a more permanent basis. at present we are looking for suitable premises and ways to overcome certain legal and financial issues involved in setting up such a co-operative. 

what we want to do is ‘take this temporary depressing state of affairs in greece and turn it into a celebration of community’. for us, the cultural and social center ambariza is proof that there is another path, another way forward for society. it’s a path of dignity, selflessness, democratic living - path that we will continue to tread.