Following a devastating fire on the 9th of September 2020, Moria Camp (Lesvos island, Greece), the largest refugee camp in Europe, was levelled to the ground, leaving thirteen thousand people homeless overnight. Every day that goes by, more than five thousand children go without water, food, shelter, access to sanitation or education.
Our friends from LATRA-Lesvos have launched the #RefugeeLivesMatter campaign to raise funds in response to this humanitarian disaster.
100% of donations will be dedicated to purchasing and distributing relief products! Please circulate it. Thank you.
Excerpts from the campaign:
“Following a devastating fire, the largest refugee camp in Europe, was levelled to the ground, leaving 13.000 people homeless overnight. Instead of deploying much needed aid, the government has deployed militarised police who’ve indiscriminately brutalised, arrested, detained and teargassed children, youth, young adults, women and men from the refugee community, solidarity and volunteer movements, in their effort to curb their peaceful voices demanding for safe passage of all people across Europe.
The European solidarity movement of 2015, that saw outpouring of support towards refugees, has given its place to violent nationalism, extremism, and anti-refugee sentiment. With each day going by, new closed detention centres are getting build, forcing to closed detention and abhorrent conditions, the most vulnerable people in our society. New ‘Morias’ are getting build as these words are written, though this time they will proudly feature the European flag. Systematically since 2015, governments across Europe have worked towards marginalising and dehumanising people fleeing persecution, war, and famine. People with families, education, and skills, that could otherwise be productive and contributing members to our European family.
We believe in an embracing Europe. We believe that now more than ever, it is up to everyday people like us, to show to refugees and asylum seekers that there is another side to Europe; one of solidarity and compassion. The decision to support the needs of 13.000 people stranded in despair, was taken in a heartbeat.
The needs:
LATRA has conducted a needs assessment and will be focusing its efforts in purchasing and distributing 4 essential products: (i) bottled water (ii) medicine (iii) baby formula (iv) facemasks. The list of needs is endless, however our organisation has assessed that these four products are urgently required by a large segment of the population, and in short supply. Donations will be exclusively used to purchase and distribute these 4 products categories.
Please send your donations to:
IBAN: GR24 0172 7090 0057 0908 8090 702
BIC: PIRBGRAA
Reference: refugeelivesmatter
Our approach:
100% of donations will be dedicated to purchasing and distributing the 4 categories of products described above.
0% overhead will be retained by our organisation. This is an emergency appeal, geared towards maximum impact for the people affected.
0% of donations will be used for distribution, transportation and logistics. Instead our organisation will provide these services pro-bono, allowing to utilise 100% for purchasing of aid products.
All donors will be provided with receipts acknowledging their donation. Please send us your details to info@latra.gr, so our accounting team can prepare your receipt.
In addition to purchasing and distributing these essential products, our organisation will take a systematic approach in relaying daily news and updates through its social media, carrying the voices of refugees, civil society organisations and volunteers. We believe that increasing public awareness and attention to the plight of refugees is essential in restoring faith to humanity. 0% of donations will be used towards the awareness campaign, with our organisation, committing its own resources in doing so.
