Lighthouse Relief

MISSION: Fill gaps in humanitarian protection for people seeking refuge. Our ethos of flexibility, accountability, and inclusivity means that we adapt quickly to evolving needs on the ground and draw on the experiences of team members and partners who have lived as refugees to shape our response. VALUES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES: 1. Put the people we serve first. Respond to their needs, value their ideas, and recognise them as part of the solution. 2. Uphold human dignity. Recognise everyone's humanity, agency, and equal rights. 3. Prove ourselves worthy of trust, respect, and support. Communicate honestly and transparently with our partners, even when we fall short. 4. Never give u... read more MISSION: Fill gaps in humanitarian protection for people seeking refuge. Our ethos of flexibility, accountability, and inclusivity means that we adapt quickly to evolving needs on the ground and draw on the experiences of team members and partners who have lived as refugees to shape our response. VALUES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES: 1. Put the people we serve first. Respond to their needs, value their ideas, and recognise them as part of the solution. 2. Uphold human dignity. Recognise everyone's humanity, agency, and equal rights. 3. Prove ourselves worthy of trust, respect, and support. Communicate honestly and transparently with our partners, even when we fall short. 4. Never give up. Adapt as circumstances change. Seek creative solutions to seemingly intractable problems. Be willing to learn and grow from mistakes. 5. Be inclusive. Welcome ideas from all community members, regardless of background or affiliation. Within the team, avoid hierarchy. ORIGIN STORY Refugees have been crossing from Turkey to Greece's Aegean islands under perilous conditions for decades. However, in 2015 the escalation of conflict in Syria and other disruptive occurrences displaced an unprecedented number of people worldwide, driving 1.3 million to seek asylum in Europe. Almost half of them (500,018 according to UNHCR) arrived via the village of Skala Sikamineas on the north shore of Lesvos. The fishing village's 140 residents struggled to support so many people in urgent need of food, shelter, clothing and medical care. "There are 100 people in this village. When the refugees were coming, there were 50-60 boats per day. We were all alone. " - Stratos Valimos, a fisherman in Skala Sikamineas, Lesvos, whose leadership of local rescue efforts earned a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2015. LIGHTHOUSE RELIEF IS FORMED In September 2015, as the average number of daily arrivals neared its peak of 4,000, volunteers from Sweden, Norway, Syria, Spain, and the UK met in Skala Sykamineas and coordinated the first round-the-clock emergency response. They kept a lookout for vessels stranded at sea and greeted people coming ashore with warm blankets. In a field across from the beach, they set up a camp offering treatment for hypothermia, a hot meal, dry clothes, and other respites. These volunteers become the founders of Lighthouse Relief.