The context
THE SITUATION ON KOS
Located in Kos town, The Hub aims to support displaced people through their initial stages in Greece. Our primary focus is to cover gaps in the basic needs of refugees and to support them with their integration, as this is crucial for their long-term well-being.
As it stands, the basic needs of refugees are not being met and they face numerous obstacles throughout their early stages in the country. For example, there is a considerable lack of hygiene items provided inside the camp, so we work to supplement this. Additionally, once granted asylum, people are expelled from the camp and no longer receive governmental aid to cover their fundamental requirements. People self-accommodate where possible, though some experience homelessness as high levels of tourism on Kos make affordable accommodation extremely difficult to find. These conditions mean that many people experience demotivation, social exclusion, and a decline in mental health. To prevent this, our Hub offers a diverse array of support and a friendly space to spend the day.
Despite Kos being the second-largest entry point for refugees in the Greek islands, we are currently the only organisation on the island addressing basic needs outside of the closed and controlled camp. This makes what we do crucial, and we currently reach approximately 1800 people per month.
OUR OUTPUT
FREE SHOP
Currently we distribute the following:
- Dry food products such as flour, tomato sauce, spaghetti, chickpeas, lentils, rice, or dates
- Hygiene items such as shampoo, wipes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, nappies, or sanitary pads among others
- Clothes donated from the local community on Kos
OUR OUTPUT
COMMUNITY SPACE
In our community area we provide the following services:
- A safe and friendly community space/café for people to spend the day
- English and Greek language classes
- Community activities such as drawing, crafting, playing board games, dancing, and cooking
- CV building workshops
OUR OUTPUT
HELP DESK
- Hospital visits and doctors appointments
- Visits to local authorities
- Opening bank accounts
- Looking for accomodation
- Enrolling children in local schools
- Obtaining and filling out documents for various needs
OUR OUTPUT
JOB PLACEMENT
With our job placement programme, we place refugees in local tourism businesses. The Greek tourism industry benefits from labour and the refugees from job opportunities.
Through this initiative, we work closely with local tourism businesses to match refugees with available job openings. The benefits of our job placement programme are two-fold. Firstly, it helps the Greek tourism industry to address its labour needs. Secondly, it creates job opportunities for refugees, allowing them to improve their livelihoods and contribute to the local community.
