Help us get a new VAN to foster community !

Throughout the summer months, access to van support has been essential for our sports activities. Many YSR volunteers, staff, and community members agree that swimming classes are among the most impactful activities we offer. These sessions provide an opportunity for participants to reframe their relationship with water, which for many has been shaped by the often-traumatic sea crossing from Turkey.

As highlighted in our last report, our collaboration with the Lesvos-based NGO Stand By Me has enabled us to operate a van service since the beginning of 2025. This partnership continues today, and thanks to the funds raised during this campaign, we have been able to cover our share of the expenses and secure use of the van for weekday afternoons.

Throughout the summer, this has allowed us to run daily swimming classes at beaches across Mytilene, ensuring new swimmers could both access and enjoy these activities.

The van service has been particularly vital for our women-only swim classes, held every Tuesday and Thursday. Without this transportation, many women would not have been able to participate. Your contributions have therefore directly enabled greater female participation in swimming. In addition, we organized two monthly excursions for our women’s group to more remote and scenic beaches around the island, complete with picnics and other activities. These outings have been a joyful highlight and a true adventure for the women involved. We've also enjoyed several other women-only outdoor adventures which would not have been possible without a van - including a rock climbing trip to Plomari on the south of the island, which the women really loved!

We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to our van fund. Thanks to your generosity, we have been able to share use of the Stand By Me van for the past nine months, ensuring access, inclusion, and the continuation of these vital activities.