SOH 11/66
The Island of Kythera and its Inter-Church Team.
Since the end of 1959, when we came to Kythera at the request of its Bishop Meletios, all of our work has been done in cooperation with the Bishop. However, it must be said that at times there have been differences of opinion and our relations were a bit strained. After the years we now understand each other well and there are seldom any periods when cooperation does not go well.
When we were requested to do what we could to “remake Kythera” we found an island about 85% uninhabitable because of erosion and mountains. It is an island of 275 square kilometers of which 20% is fair to excellent land for crops and gardens. Lack of trees and the persistent cultivation of wheat had resulted in increasing the erosion and the poverty of the remaining population of the Island from which some 10.000 have emigrated since World War II, mostly to Australia. Some fifty have returned since we have been here, but there has been another exodus of 600 persons.
*One of our difficulties has been to interest the people in helping to solve their own problems, especially among families which receive money regularly from abroad. It is different among those not getting such monies.
Agriculture and Animal Husbandry:
We found agriculture limited to the production of olives, wheat, of which almost every landowner tried to raise enough to provide the family bread, some garden and some animal husbandry. Particularly every house had one or two goats, there were some fifty cows, none of good quality, some sheep, none of which were good milkers, plus herds of half wild goats roaming over hills at will, which added greatly to the problem of erosion.
Industry:
Industry consisted of 17 olive oil mills, some of which doubled as flour mills plus the selling and trading of the products of the Island, all of which were absorbed in the island’s economy.
Education:
There were and are 16 elementary schools of which 10 have adequate buildings, but all of them, with one exception, are one teacher schools. There is one gymnasium, and, as with so many provincial gymnasia, is not highly regarded as an educational institution. There is an agricultural school of sorts in Karavas, but since the number of boys enrolled decreases annually it probably will not be around long if something is not done to rejuvenate it. There is also a home economics school for girls which covers also such subjects as home gardening, but it is lodged in a wreck of a building.
Religious Themes:
There seen to be plenty of different groups, all of which we regard as outside our program. However, we must move warily as one or another of the groups try to draw us into their ranks. Also there are more than 300 churches, monasteries and chapels on the island, most of which are in a state of disrepair.
Technical Situation:
We found few roads and most of them in poor condition, no harbors worthy of the name, much poor housing, old fashioned methods used in most operations, an almost complete lack of technical knowledge, insufficient and inefficient electrical current and little or no domestic water all added to the difficulty in preparing a program, which we were asked to do a few months after our arrival. Such a program was bound to be immature, but the program now being effected has most of the elements of our original effort. Today our ten point program, given below, cover, in words at least, most of the problems of Kythera.
KYTHERA.
The Program.
1. Re-afforestation.
2. Water Development.
3. Roads and Harbors.
4. Animal Husbandry.
5. Industry.
6. Welfare.
7. Education.
8. Agriculture.
9. Religious Themes.
10. Technical Assistance.
I. REAFFORESTATION.
The Bishop had soon the great need to plant trees on the island and was first man to push tree planting, even though results were negligible. When we joined forces we set up a regular campaign with lectures, slides, house to house visits, school programs and letters. Soon the government came into the program and decreed that there should be 5000 trees planted during the planting season, i.e. the rainy season. The Team silently decided that the Government had dropped a cypher in making its decree. With the combined efforts of the Government, the schools, the villagers and the Team, 65.000 trees were planted. Not only were they planted but they were so well planted that an extraordinary number of them lived. That was the first possible season, the winter of 1961. The next year we dropped back a bit, only 50.000 trees. However, much time had boon spent in setting up proper tree nurseries, mixing the soil and fertilizers, filling the nylon bags with earth, germinating seed, watering, wooding, transportation and in digging such a tremendous number of holes, mostly in rocky soil. 1962.
* Tree planting has reached the respectable figure of 280.000 and the raising and planting of them took a total of 15.000 man-days. The first trees are beginning to show themselves above the rocks and bushes, parts of the island are changing. The most important single thing is the high percentage of living tree-lets, high enough to elicit requests from abroad and from other parts of Greece for information as to how it was accomplished.
II. WATER.
Some results have been achieved domestic water has been provided to three large villages, using 12.000 motors of pipe (a donation), all in constant use. The Team was responsible for the design and direction, but it had the full cooperation of the people and the Government. The Team has plans for many other domestic systems, as well as various projects for irrigation but the lack of funds has kept them from becoming realities. Twelve villages still await water and not silently. We were rash enough to think that projects on the project lists wегe almost like money in the bank. Now, after hearing “Where is the water you promised” over and over again, we have learned to use the words “we hope”.
III.ROADS AND HARBORS.
We, modestly, take some credit for all of the road work done on the island since we have been here, and it has more than a small element of truth. The Government has repaired some twenty miles of road and made close to forty-five miles of now. We, using the small shovel bull-dozer, a gift from the German “Broad for the World” have practically equaled the Government’s attainments in road building.
The Team has designed improvements for four harbors and they have been made, or partly made. A fifth harbor quay-wall is now being built using our design. Kythera is the only place on the mail boat line, with fifteen stops, where a steamer (up to 2000 tons) can dock.
IV. ANIMAL HUSBANDRY.
At a series of meeting held to establish a cooperative to operate a cheese factory we were delighted to hear from several sources, officials, bank people and even from the Bishop, our slogan “Stop raising grain”- ANIMALS AND TREES ARE YOUR FUTURE.
You have read about the trees, now comes the other half of the slogan.
-In 1959 1960 the Agricultural Bank sold 2950 kilos of fodder seed, in 1964 1965 it sold 26.000 kilos.
-From poor quality cows there are now 250 milk cows, mostly good quality Holsteins.
-In 1960 there were some 2400 sheep of rather indifferent quality, now there are 6500, many of them the Chios breed, the best sheep in Greece for the warmer areas.
-There were an estimated 3000 half wild goats, now there are about 1000, still too many, but an improvement.
-Now there are 27 tractors on the island and there wore none in 1960. They result in better farming and in more food for milk and meat producing livestock.
-We still do everything we can to promote the building of stables, we have been responsible for 22 of them and are glad to see that they are on the now project list.
-“Collect and use the manure from your animals” is a slogan which goes along with animal husbandry.
V. INDUSTRY.
Since we had put Industry on our program, we should at least mention it. We have made innumerable plans for such varied buildings as hotels, houses, cottages for vacationists, but to little avail. The only concrete production is a small cheese factory, mentioned above in another context. It has been a weak and rather futile project but we are happy to report that the meetings have resulted in the establishment of a cooperative for the cheese factory in Fratsia, a village with many cows.
VI. WELFARE.
There is no Welfare Service on the island and we have soon much material aid go to wrong addresses. So we try to be objective with our limited means and materials. It is something about which nothing can be done at present, we mention it because it has been a constant source of worry.
VII. EDUCATION.
The State Schools are certainly not in our province, but in working with the various teachers in our tree planting program we have made some observations. We have urged the consolidation of the elementary schools into only five, as I mentioned above it is out of our province, but we have heard that it is being considered.
We are now constructing a now building for the Home Economics School in Milopotamos. The second summer of work campers is working on it and the progress is amazing.
*Funds for this have come from Holland and America, and further funds are still being raised. We must not forget the contributions of the people, building materials, money and labor. It seems to be only a matter of time until the girls will be housed and taught in suitable quarters. Curriculum wise it needs considerable improvement, and perhaps when the time is ripe we can help on that.
VIII. AGRICULTURE.
Kythera needs new methods of farming, gardening, tree culture and after five years we see improvements, but they come slowly. We have soon fields well cultivated with the right crops and we have seen fields degenerated into desert, but we work on. We use letters, printing, meetings, demonstration in our own garden, but our most effective teaching comes from islanders who have learned, their fields and flocks are our most effective teachers.
*Also, as the world over, villagers want to leave the villages, they want movies, pay checks and other city conveniences. But there are not yet places for all in the cities and there are possibilities for good lives in larger villages and we feel that we are helping make those good lives possible, so we keep on.
IX RELIGIOUS THEMES.
Besides our cooperation with the Bishop and with as many of the Priests as are willing, our main connection with the Church is in work on their buildings whenever possible and necessary.
We have rebuilt Mirtidiotissa, the largest Monastery on the island, a huge job for Kythera. It now has modern plumbing, kitchen as well as other accommodations.. The money came from Kytherians abroad and at home, over 500.000 drachmas. Aghia Elessa was also rebuilt and many churches have been repaired.
X TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
We try to demonstrate better technics, but progress comes slowly, but it comes, sometimes in the most unexpected places. In addition to the projects mentioned above we have made two town plans, a theater, a market building, an old peoples home (now under construction), a gymnastic hall, many miles of agricultural and asphalt roads, seven shops, and thirty-three houses. The present old peoples home had two predecessors in planning. A complete plan for a bungalow city was made, also plans for six water containers, all with necessary concrete calculations and statistics, which are a part of every plan made in our office.
Those are the things at which we have boon spending our time in Kythera, no not all, even though it is quite a good many. We cannot possibly recall everything, especially those that did not quite make it.
*We have made soccer fields, we are working on an airfield, we spread information by means of the newspapers, letters, and by word of mouth, we have set up a chicken industry and we built the foundation for a huge water conserving dam. The present enlargement of the hospital in Potamos is a result of our initiative and drawing board. And still there is much to be done.
**We have had from time to time, for periods of six months each, a total of fifteen advanced students from a Dutch Engineering School, in groups of three each. They have been of great service in many of our projects. We have had three trained draftsmen on two year terms each and now have an agriculturist who is operating the demonstration gardens. We have had five Greek working with us at different times and for different purposes.
And that is our story of the past five years, a story which is not yet complete but which we hope to have the opportunity to, no, not complete, such things are not ever complete, but to got to the place whore the people will continue until they can hand on to their children a better way of life, which has been learned by our combined efforts over three years. It has become a part of our lives, bound up with the Bishop and the other leaders on the island.
(click a photo to enlarge)
This is the original letter written by mr Koksma in 1966, click to enlarge
