Our challenge: Regeneration of Kypseli Market
Our team is called Infinitum and consists of Maria Gougi aggeliki iwannou Thomi Galani .We accepted the challenge of the Impact Hub and addressed the problem of the Kpseli Market. Our mentors and advisors were @Betty Tsakarestou ,@Spyros Kapetanakis and Katerina Vlassopoulou . The main problem of the challenge was the further development of Kipseli. During the semester we understood all the problems that the area of Kipseli is facing. Due to the huge immigration flow the area is now populated with many immigrants as well as refuges and that itself makes the cohabitation between them a difficult matter. Moreover, because of the financial recession the area is dowgraded even more and has been suffering many problems the past years. Generally Kipseli is considered by the majority af people as a not so safe place.
In order to get more answers for our challenge, we conducted a research to find out the opinion of Kipseli’s residents. During our interviews people expressed their feelings for how they see Kipseli now. The local people maintain, mostly the younger and the middle aged that the most of the immigrants have been assimilated very good in the area. Immigrants that have living in Kipseli for 15 years and have now families there are perfectly adapted to the way of life. However, they claimed that there are also some people who don’t seem so willingto participate in common activities and seem rather distant.
One of the main issues that need to be settled is the assimilation of immigrants. Today one of the biggest threats in Kipseli, is the suspicion and mistrust of a group of immigrants and refugees who live in the region. People are not willing to visit Kipseli when they feel insecure and invest money in the area that will lead to a further improvement. The solution we suggest, is to induct the immigrant and refugee population of Kipseli, into Kipseli Market by an event were immigrants will take part and make traditional products, such as sweets and clothing. We this effort we want to gain a respectable revenue in order to increase the incomes of the Kipseli neighborhood and Market as well.
In addition, expect from the financial profits in this way we want to get the old Kipseli residents to get to know different cultures and of course comminucate good with immigrants and have mutual respect.Finally, there will be new job openings and as a result Kipseli can gradually obtain a higher standard of living.
