There are 68.5 forcibly displaced people worldwide.
Nearly 25.4 million of these people are known as ‘refugees’.
Over half of them are under the age of 18.
During our three years as an organisation, we’ve have seen this percentage reflected in LM Village, Alexandria camp, Filippiada camp, Tumbru camp, Doliana camp, and Katiskas camp, where almost 50% of the camps’ capacities are made up of under 16 year olds.
This Tuesday marked National Children’s Day 2018.
And this week, we want to ask you to think about and stand in solidarity with the 13 million children stranded worldwide as a result of displacement.
A refugee camp is no place to raise a child.
And it seems oxymoronic to suggest that childhood can be preserved in a refugee camp.
Especially when families have endured horrific journeys to flee form traumatic circumstances.
But we must try.
So how can you aid child refugees with dignity whilst trying to help them preserve their childhood?
It’s a question we continually ask ourselves, and one we’ve still not got to the bottom of.
But this year, as with every year, we’re doing our best to help child refugees in Greece have a childhood.
So far, we’ve built an awesome play area for children to play in at Katsikas camp.
Our brilliant team of volunteers continue to run fun, interactive and educational workshops to help kids burn energy, make friends, and have fun.
We’ve created our new Empowerment Fund to help parents support their young families, and get their children involved in the hard work and fun.
And perhaps most crucially, we continue to reinforce a ‘no friendship’ policy between volunteers and camp residents to avoid damaging attachment issues.
Kids on camp are incredibly resilient.
But they shouldn’t have to be.
With help from our friends Carry the Future, Help Refugees, and you, we will continue to do all that we can over the next year to continue to help child refugees in Greece.
So join in and shout with us in solidarity!
Because only by making enough noise can we end displacement, so that one day, a new generation can sleep soundly, free from war.
Thank you for reading, and we’ll see you next week.
Please contact us today at info@refugeesupporteu.com if you’d like to help child refugees in Greece.
Refugee Support
