Mpa(l)tza project

Target group: Inhabitants of Melissochori

Melissochori, where I was born and grew up, is a village almost 20km away from the city of Thessaloniki,
situtated on a mountain slope covered by forest. The surrounding area is mainly agricultural land. Almost 1,500 people used to live in melissochori according to Greek Cencus 2001. After a decade of intense development in the area and according to Greek Cencus 2011, the population is almost 5,500. This increase of population size was due to the fact that the village is very close to the city while at the same time it has been popular for its beautiful natural environment as well as the water sources (people from the village as well as Thessaloniki residents use to collect water from the water sources for drinking and cooking). So at the moment, the population is mainly synthesized by the old residents and the news. These two groups do not meet. At the same time, public space is dominated by men. Women mainly meet in their houses. The society of the village is dominated by very conservative reflexes. Unemployment is high rated among young people. 

Very close to Melissochori are situtated 2 more villages, Drimos and Liti. In the area of Drimos village there is also a marble mining activity, visible in the whole area. Almost half of the mountain being exploited does not exist anymore.

The quality of the underground water of the area has been significally downgraded due to nitrate pollution. Underground water is used for drinking and irrigation. Since almost 2 years, it has been officially announced by the relative authorities that the households in Drimos must not use this water due to the pollution. I should mention that the problem does not exist only 2 years. It was just announced before 2 years, after
advocate intervention.

What?
>> Explore what kind of events could be organized in the village of Melissochori in order to create spaces where the residents (men & women, old & new residents) can meet. In other words explore the possibility of creating a network of residents with common interests and needs.

How?
1st step -- Prepare a questionnaire survey about what the residents of the village are missing in the public space/social life of the village, by means of entertainment, education, information etc.. about the effect of crisis in their lives. Things that changed and things that have not changed, for better or for worse.(something like it)

2nd step -- Process the questionnaire and produce results

3rd step -- Organize an event in the village where residents are invited in order to communicate the results & investigate the possibilities of what kind of events/seminars etc we could organize

4th step -- Evaluation by questionnaires to the participants at the end of the event

This shortl project could be the first part of a bigger project. How it continues will be dependent on the participations and the outcomes. This first part is important in order to explore relationships and dynamics already existing as well as for the residents to meet each other. 

Expected outcome is the whole project to be a node in starting to create a trustful network of people so that later we can proceed on introducing degrowth ie through the question how other communities are dealing with the effect of crisis on their lives, on the way of researching for other paradigms.