The Hub
Echo100Plus had a vision for a humanitarian hub that would offer creative, practical and social learning spaces to the adult refugees of Leros. A place for learning news skills, reconnecting with old skills and a place to offer a sense of purpose and normality. The Hub provides the resources for learning languages, for skills-based activities, social activities and a boutique to offer a
dignified distribution of clothing. Since March 2016, the 600+ refugees on Leros have waited in a legal limbo, without knowing whether they will be successful in their application for asylum or whether they will be returned to Turkey or to their home country. The wait for them seems interminable, which results in frustration and depression. The time since they were last leading a productive and active life increases daily and, inevitably, the emotional trauma of losing their home, family, culture and identity is a struggle. The reality of past trauma can hit hard. The aim of The Hub is to help alleviate boredom while the refugees wait to hear the result of their asylum application, to help the refugees regain their self-worth and to help them learn some new skills for the future. Out of the crises in the Middle East have come highly skilled people, so The Hub will offer a place where they can regain their identity. They need to be recognised as mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, professional and, academics - as opposed to the collective term “refugee” as they are now defined. Leros
Leros is a small, Dodecanese island, with a population of 8,000. Since 2015, Leros has received a large amount of refugees disproportionate to its size. This, at a time when Greece is suffering from a financial crisis, high levels of unemployment and low levels of tourism. Engaging the local Leros community is all-important to ECHO100Plus’s aim for connecting and facilitating an understanding between the refugees and the local population. Accordingly, The Hub’s programmes and boutique will be open to the unemployed and disadvantaged members of the Leros community.
