The Observatory of Social Inclusion of the South Aegean visited the Municipality of Kalymnos from September 3 to September 5, 2024, as part of the field surveys carried out for the 4th consecutive year in the Municipalities of the South Aegean Region.
Meetings were held with: i) the Deputy Mayor of Health and Welfare, Ms. Giorgos Choullis, ii) the Deputy Head of the Autonomous Department of Social Protection of the Municipality, Ms. Maria Loukatari, and iii) the executives of the Community Center of the Municipality, Ms. Themelina Malidaki, Social Worker, and Ms. Eleftheria Choulli, Psychologist.
A key finding of the interviews was the fact that there is still a large number of beneficiaries of the Guaranteed Minimum Income, but the cases of extreme poverty are milder compared to previous years. Due to the strong presence of the seafaring profession in Kalymnos as well as relations with abroad (immigration to the USA and Australia), the standard of living is at a relatively good level, but nevertheless, there are many needy people who do not have access to basic services.
All the executives we discussed with pointed out the lack of the “Help at Home” Program on the island of Kalymnos, which has not been operating since 2016, leaving a big gap in the support and service of the elderly. For many elderly people on the island, who make up a significant percentage of the population of Kalymnos, the Program was the only help they had. The Municipality’s Open Care Center for the Elderly has also been inactive since 2010, thus depriving the elderly of a creative outlet on their island.
Regarding gender-based violence, it is important to emphasize that a Gender Equality Committee has recently been established on the island and is expected to contribute to the development of a culture of equality and protection from violence and harassment and to the cultivation of a healthy social environment. Certainly, as the executives mentioned, the issue of gender-based violence is a topic that is difficult to discuss in Kalymnos as well, but it exists and further actions are needed to deal with it.
They also have the same opinion regarding the accessibility of the disabled in Kalymnos. Mainly Pothia, the center of the island, but also the whole island is considered quite difficult to access due to the lack of sidewalks, sloping levels, protected accessible areas in case of emergencies, ramps, etc.
Finally, the Deputy Mayor pointed out that there have been several incidents of juvenile delinquency on the island, for which he considers sports as the main antidote. Sports can be a powerful tool for guiding young people in the right direction while enhancing their social behavior.
In addition, the Observatory’s researchers discussed with nineteen (19) citizens of the Municipality of Kalymnos, beneficiaries of the Guaranteed Minimum Income, who talked about their lifestyle and the difficulties they face in their daily lives.
Finally, the Observatory warmly thanks the Community Center of the Municipality of Kalymnos and all the participants for their contribution to the research.
(Text and photos: Katerina Hatzipapa, Marianna Papandreou)
