Looking back over the last week and a few moments of connectivity we shared with the communities we work with and for on the Greek islands.
Looking back over the last week and a few moments of connectivity we shared with the communities we work with and for on the Greek islands.
Last week on Lesvos, together with our teams of community and visiting volunteers we distributed over 400 'Griekse Gijsjes' to the children of RIC Lesvos. These handmade giraffes were donated by an amazing group of volunteers from Belgium and The Netherlands under the motto of "every child deserves a hug". Big shoutout to Gijs Giraffe who continues to put a smile of the faces of these children!
On Chios and on the first of the 16 days of activism in light of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the women, children and men of the community gathered in Kalostea, our community space, in celebration of that special day and these values. They connected, danced and enjoyed the amazing meals prepared by the community itself.
On Lesvos this week we met with Moeen. An amazing Afghan farmer who travelled looking for a safe 'home' and a better future. "I lost my home and my job in Afghanistan but today I have my own simple garden inside the camp" he told us.
Also on Lesvos, we met with Basheer. In this very small workshop, Basheer helps the community by repairing and replacing damaged wheels. Back in Afghanistan, he used to own a repair shop. "This is kind of what I learned back home and I'm really good at it. I hope to be able to have my own shop in the future".
Again on Lesvos, we met Asnaa. This resilient 6-year-old girl from Afghanistan is a cat lover! In the camp, she spends most of her time together with her best friend Max the kitten. "She takes so much care of Max and treats it like a baby. She's a wonderful girl" told us her father.
Not everyone has the same opportunities. That is why we continue to stand in solidarity with these people on the move on the Greek islands. These are some of the activities and programmes we run together with and for these communities in an effort to transform refugee camps into safe, healing and enabling environments. By starting a fundraiser on our Kentaa platform, you too can contribute to our community-led projects including; chai distribution, tailoring, education, sports and waste management.