Improve refugees' life conditions in Greece

Dear friends and valued supporters,

I hope this message finds you well. My name is Safia, and I’ve been lucky enough to intern at the Yoga and Sport for Refugees (YSR) since June. My YSR experience has been an incredible learning opportunity and one I would recommend for anyone looking to gain experience in the NGO sector. 

In October we celebrated our sixth anniversary, and as we reflect on YSR’s achievements, we are overwhelmed with gratitude at your unwavering support. Your contributions and commitment to our mission have been instrumental in making a meaningful impact on the lives of refugees in Greece and beyond. 

Over the past quarter your donations have helped fund several projects, including our summer Swim For Good Campaign, a trauma-informed learn-to-swim program providing safety, mental and physical health and a peaceful relationship with water. As part of the campaign YSR ambassador Alaa Maso, a competitor in the 2020 Refugee Olympics, swam 12km to bring awareness to the high-risk journeys undertaken by people on the move arriving in Europe. 

Throughout September we also celebrated our annual Global Run, a community-focused event aiming to raise funds and show solidarity with people on the move. Across the globe, from North America to Europe and North Africa over 400 people, united through sport and movement, ran together. All funds raised have gone towards YSR programs, classes and most importantly our coach team, without whom YSR would not exist! 

Over the past six years the YSR community has experienced remarkable growth, expanding to new locations and consistently developing and training our diverse team of coaches and coordinators. As an independent and privately-funded organization, these opportunities have only been made possible through the continuous support of members like yourself.

As we enter 2024, we invite you to follow our journey and witness the real impact of your donations, trusting that your continued support will inspire others to support our cause.

Thank you for being an integral part of the YSR family!

Warmly,

Safia

Hello friends and donors,

Here is the first project report for our “Improve refugees’ life conditions in Greece” fundraiser.

First and foremost, we would like to extend our utmost gratitude to those who have donated and raised awareness of our work across Greece.

My name is Jamie, I am the finance and fundraising intern at YSR. Before this I was a volunteer for a different organisation on Lesvos, Greece. Whilst there I became aware of the great work being carried out by YSR on the island and was impressed by the community that was created around their gym. Since joining the organisation myself in Athens, my sense of admiration for the organisation has not ceased to grow.

The goal of this campaign was to raise the funds necessary for this work to continue to be carried out. Whilst we are still from our target, I would like to let you know that the €424 raised so far has and continues to have a tangible impact. The donations have contributed to community events such as Movement Connects and a football tournament that we organised in Athens as well as to a coaches training weekend that we put on this past week.

As the summer began, we were able to expand the list of classes on offer in our gyms with Muay Thai, Wrestling and Swim Classes all added to our timetables. This benefits the choice of students at our gyms but means we were also able to take on more coaches from the refugee community, helping us push towards our goals of empowering and integrating communities in a participatory manner.

All in all, we are incredibly appreciative of your ongoing support and hope that in following us and seeing the real impact of your donations, you are inspired to continue championing our cause.

Thanks for reading!

Jamie, on behalf of the YSR team

Links:

• Football Connect
• Movement Connect