REFUGYM empowers asylum seekers and refugees living in camps in Greece to utilise their knowledge, passion and skills to lead sports activities both within and outside of camp settings, as a means to help address physical and mental health needs of their own community.
Donate to this charity
Supporters
15Fundraisers
0
Since 2018, REFUGYM have facilitated a varied refugee-led sports programme. Community-led sports activities over the past four years have included aerobics, Kung-Fu, volleyball, gymnastics, Wushu, self-defence, step-up, Judo, HIIT, handball, yoga, dance and Zumba.
REFUGYM place an emphasis on facilitating activities outside of camp settings, in order to provide relief and escapism from the daily monotony and difficulties camp residents face. Through our partnership with AntetokounBros Academy, we provide opportunities for children from asylum-seeking backgrounds to attend professional basketball training in Athens. We organise mountain hiking trips in both Malakasa and Thermopiles. Through local partners on the ground in Thermopiles, camp residents access local courts to practice and play basketball and football, and we support the Malakasa Football Team.
As well as empowering asylum seekers to be the leaders and facilitators of a sports programme of their choosing, our full-time team member Brittany provides watersports activities; specifically swimming, stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) and sea kayaking lessons. Many refugees experience waterborne trauma, due to the dangerous journey they are forced to undergo to reach Greece. Our watersports sessions are a form of exposure therapy: structured, trauma-informed lessons that help people to overcome their distress associated with the sea.
