Empowering refugees to plant second chances

WHAT WE DO

We give refugees and asylum seekers across Northern Greece the opportunity to develop urgent skills needed for life in Europe. We do this through educational activities in three key areas:

Language Learning

Through English and Greek classes delivered by qualified teachers and tailored to the needs of refugee adults and children.

Integration

Through our community-engagement activities that give refugees and locals the chance to meet.

YOUTH WELL-BEING

Through our unique Scouts program that takes children out of the camp and into local community.

“THE BEST TIME TO PLANT A TREE

WAS TWENTY YEARS AGO,

THE SECOND BEST TIME IS NOW.”

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Who We Are

Second Tree is a grassroots humanitarian organisation that works in refugee camps in Northern Greece. Our ethos is to treat refugees like people and move past stereotypes of victimisation and romanticisation. Our team consists of 11 team members on the ground, and a community of volunteers who support us from home.

Latest News

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World refugee day, what have we achieved?

We’re thrilled to share the results of our W...
05 July, 2021
Why are refugee camps in lockdown?

One week ago Katsikas camp woke up to closed...
16 October, 2020
Refugees are losing their homes, again

When the Greek government announced that it ...
08 July, 2020

Second.Tree

🌳 There are roughly 85 million people that are

🌳 There are roughly 85 million people that are displaced, forced to leave their homes due to war, violence, persecution, or natural disaster. Roughly 21 million are refugees & 4 million are asylum seekers, having been granted or in the process of applying for international refuge outside of their country. A further 48 million people are internally displaced. These are men, women, and children retreating from sources of danger in their own country, reliant on their home government for aid, even if that government is the reason for their displacement.

The number of IDPs has doubled since 2010. This is in no small part due to the Syrian Civil War, starting in 2011, which has caused upwards of 6 million people to be cast internally adrift. This is a shocking third of the population. An insurgence of brutal Taliban activity in Afghanistan has also resulted in 4 million of the 40 million population becoming internally displaced, with 80% of IDPs being women and children.

Internal displacement is an issue of global scale, beyond the middle east. 10% of the population of Colombia are internally displaced, forcibly moved by the mounting conflict between the government and militia groups. Some 3 million of the 16 million population in Somalia are also displaced due to ongoing political disputes raging between Al-Shabaab, a jihadist group, and the Somali government. Covid-19 has also further complicated displacement routes. Innocent civilians have sought to avoid areas of overcrowding for fear of contracting the virus, a considerable restriction of options in a country that has only a slither of territory on the East African coast.

IDPs often retreat into hard-to-reach areas of their countries, making it challenging for humanitarian organisations to provide aid. They are amongst the most vulnerable people in the world, often subjected to a prejudicial government and with few means of seeking refuge abroad. They provide a uniquely taxing challenge to the humanitarian world, one that you can help to tackle by donating to a host of organisations, including @mercycorps, @savethechildren, & @shelterboxuk, or spread awareness on the challenges IDPs face around the world!

<img src="https://secondtree.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png" alt="🌳 There are roughly 85 million people that are displaced, forced to leave their homes due to war, violence, persecution, or natural disaster. Roughly 21 million are refugees & 4 million are asylum seekers, having been granted or in the process of applying for international refuge outside of their country. A further 48 million people are internally displaced. These are men, women, and children retreating from sources of danger in their own country, reliant on their home government for aid, even if that government is the reason for their displacement. The number of IDPs has doubled since 2010. This is in no small part due to the Syrian Civil War, starting in 2011, which has caused upwards of 6 million people to be cast internally adrift. This is a shocking third of the population. An insurgence of brutal Taliban activity in Afghanistan has also resulted in 4 million of the 40 million population becoming internally displaced, with 80% of IDPs being women and children. Internal displacement is an issue of global scale, beyond the middle east. 10% of the population of Colombia are internally displaced, forcibly moved by the mounting conflict between the government and militia groups. Some 3 million of the 16 million population in Somalia are also displaced due to ongoing political disputes raging between Al-Shabaab, a jihadist group, and the Somali government. Covid-19 has also further complicated displacement routes. Innocent civilians have sought to avoid areas of overcrowding for fear of contracting the virus, a considerable restriction of options in a country that has only a slither of territory on the East African coast. IDPs often retreat into hard-to-reach areas of their countries, making it challenging for humanitarian organisations to provide aid. They are amongst the most vulnerable people in the world, often subjected to a prejudicial government and with few means of seeking refuge abroad. They provide a uniquely taxing challenge to the humanitarian world, one that you can help to tackle by donating to a host of organisations, including @mercycorps, @savethechildren, & @shelterboxuk, or spread awareness on the challenges IDPs face around the world!">

🌳 ‘We have impacted each other so much.’⁠

🌳 ‘We have impacted each other so much.’⁠
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Ciara & Abdulah have developed a deep friendship over the years. From first being teacher & student, volunteer & refugee, they have become an inseparable & profoundly supportive duo.⁠
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Back in Abdulah’s home town, it wasn’t common for men and women to be close friends, so Abdulah didn't have a female 'best friend' before Ciara. Ciara explained how a friendship between a woman & a man is just as natural as one between two women or two men; they were evidence of it after all. ⁠
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One afternoon, a year after they first met, Ciara & Abdulah were out on a walk. They saw two of their friends, a man & woman, also out walking together. When Ciara saw them, she excitedly pulled Abdulah behind a bush saying ‘Look, look! I think they are on a date!’ Abdulah turned to her and, with a knowing look on his face, said ‘You know Ciara, girls & boys can just be friends.’ The tables had turned!⁠
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On #InternationalFriendshipDay, we want to celebrate true friendships like Ciara's & Abdulah's. It doesn’t matter what your background or gender is or where you come from... Friendship knows no borders!⁠
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#refugeeswelcome #everydayrefugees #refugeecrisis #refugeestories #leavenoonebehind #standwithrefugees #refugeesarepeople #solidarity #refugees #refugeecamp #nonprofit #education #fairness #socialgood #humanitarian #bethechange #donate #causes #equality #hope #refugee #humanity #humanrights #greece #nonformaleducation #learning #friends #school #friendship

🌳 UK right-wing broadcaster & former politician

🌳 UK right-wing broadcaster & former politician Nigel Farage is no stranger to headlines. A brief look at Google will turn up his long string of inflammatory statements concerning migration across his political career. It is of no surprise then that, in the midst of a new UK anti-immigration bill & and an increase of refugee arrivals on English shores, he has reared his head once more.⁠
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Farage’s cutting attention most recently fell on the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (@RNLI), a voluntary fleet of lifeboats that work tirelessly in their search & rescue efforts around the British coast. Since their founding 200 years ago, the @RNLI has not discriminated in their rescues; should a boat be found in distress within its radar, they will mobilise & respond. This is something that Farage takes issue with. Speaking on @GBNewsOnline, Farage expressed his particular disappointment that the organisation of “which he is proud” is becoming a “taxi service for migrants”; a stain on its reputation.⁠
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Farage's comments are deafening & dangerous in their lack of empathy. Again, a small Google will show the innumerable risks a refugee takes when crossing the Channel in search of safety. It is not something they enter into lightly. Without any "legal routes" of safe passage to the UK, it is the only means of arrival they have. To suggest that refugees, who often travel in cramped, ill-equipped vessels, should be left to fend for themselves is nothing short of repulsive. We condemn his comments, which do nothing but bolster misguided views.⁠
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Alongside our efforts to provide educational & integration service to refugees on the ground, Second Tree is committed to empowering refugees by dispelling the misconceptions which surround them. To show that #RefugeesArePeople. Where much of the world’s interaction with and understanding of the so-called ‘refugee crisis’ comes from media outlets & influential commentators like Farage, challenging & moderating these narratives is especially crucial.⁠
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This is why this post matters. Solidarity with @RNLI, whose imperative work we support wholeheartedly.

🌳 Meet @yusramardini, an Olympic Swimmer & refu

🌳 Meet @yusramardini, an Olympic Swimmer & refugee from Syria.

There are those for whom certain talents appear to come naturally. Yusra Mardini is one such person. Raised in Damascus, Yusra began swimming competitively as a child. At the tender age of 13, she represented Syria in the World Swimming Championships across 3 separate events. However, politics would soon disrupt her flourishing career.

With the escalation of the Syrian civil war, her family home was reduced to rubble. Leaving everything they knew, Yusra & her sister set out on a month-long journey to Germany in 2015. They passed through Lebanon & Turkey, before being smuggled on a boat to Greece in the hope of continuing their journey to Germany on foot. Their boat, a small dinghy meant for 7 people, carried 20 clambering people across a choppy mediterranean sea. Buckling under its excessive weight, the boat sputtered to a stop. Stranded and desperate, Yusra & her sister heroically launched themselves into the sea and began to push the dinghy to safety. Over 3 strenuous hours later, the dinghy struck land on the coast of Greece.

They continued with their journey, wasting no time in Greece. All the while, Yusra was set upon continuing her efforts in swimming. Upon their eventual arrival in Germany, Yusra quickly got back to work, specialising in the butterfly stroke. One year later, through grit & determination, Yusra was asked to represent the first Refugee Olympic Team in Rio 2016. It was only a few days ago that Yusra could also be seen bearing the flag for the refugee team at the opening ceremony in Tokyo, her 2nd Olympic appearance.

Competing in the Olympics is not just simply about winning, record-breaking times or medals for Yusra. It is about pursuing her dreams and encouraging others to do the same. Yusra considers herself to be standing up for people like her, those situated beyond borders. She says that “I know that I may not be carrying my country’s flag but I’m carrying the Olympic flag which represents the whole wide world.”

#RefugeesArePeople with hopes, dreams and goals to achieve. We salute Yusra for showing the world that refugees, like everyone, can achieve remarkable feats!

🌳 Belarus has been accused of exploiting its re

🌳 Belarus has been accused of exploiting its refugee population for political gain in an ongoing dispute with the EU. ⁠
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The dispute comes after Belarus’ president Alexander Lukashenko diverted a Ryanair flight carrying Belarussian & anti-government activist Roman Protasevich. This resulted in the EU placing sanctions on the country for excessive & invasive surveillance tactics. Shortly after, neighbouring EU member Lithuania saw a monumental increase of refugees crossing its border with Belarus. This has led authorities to conclude that this was a direct response by Belarus to the EU restrictions, intending to place pressure on Lithuanian infrastructure.⁠
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Refugees claimed they were given the false promise of Lithuanian-EU visas, thought to have been offered by the Belarus state to incentivise their movement. Many were contacted online with this attractive prospect, only to learn of its falseness when they crossed the border. ⁠
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As Belarus may have hoped, Lithuania has been thoroughly unprepared for this influx. Camps that were set up to accommodate refugees have quickly reached full capacity. This has disappointingly resulted in harsh measures to speed up asylum processes to a 10-day process, including strengthening & expanding the basis for deportation. Legislation has also been passed by Lithuania, allowing for the detainment of refugees for up to six months in detention centres, without the need for a court hearing. Work has also begun on a physical barrier at the border with Belarus to deter refugees from entering. ⁠
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Those affected are simply in search of safety & security. The dehumanisation of these people by Belarus authorities is clear. Exploiting them for political gain & teasing them with false promises of a solution are acts so horribly prevalent in contemporary politics. The subsequent response of the Lithuanian government in their treatment of refugees as dispensable criminals is also much too typical. Governments simply must do better #RefugeesArePeople

🌳 🔊 SOUND ON 🔊 Learning a new language is

🌳 🔊 SOUND ON 🔊 Learning a new language isn't only about listening to what the teacher has to say & repeating after them: everything must be put into practice. For that reason, our teachers spend the end of every lesson "being the students". George & Rowan gave the stage to Iman & she became the teacher. 👩🏽‍🏫 At first, she couldn't hide how nervous she was about her "new" role, but that didn't stop her from taking responsibility & telling the "students" what they had to act out! 💪🏼⁠
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#refugeeswelcome #everydayrefugees #refugeecrisis #refugeestories #leavenoonebehind #standwithrefugees #refugeesarepeople #solidarity #refugees #refugeecamp #nonprofit #education #volunteer #socialgood #humanitarian #bethechange #donate #causes #fundraising #activism #hope #refugee #humanity #humanrights #greece #nonformaleducation #learning #children #school #kids

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🌳 Meet Aker Al Obaidi, an Olympic wrestler and

🌳 Meet Aker Al Obaidi, an Olympic wrestler and refugee from Iraq.⁠
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Aker entered into the rough & tumble of the wrestling world when he was only 6. He showed enormous potential from the off, playing for fun in his hometown of Mosul. He later began competing in junior tournaments, amassing a considerable run of wins & attracting the attention of other nations who wanted to recruit him for their teams. ⁠
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However, his promising career came to a standstill at age 14, when ISIS moved into Mosul & began recruiting his peers. It was not long after that he became separated from his family & fled the country, seeking refuge from violence and war. He travelled as an unaccompanied minor alongside a group of people he did not know, filing for asylum and completing all the necessary papers by himself. He eventually arrived in Austria, where his asylum case was granted. ⁠
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In search of belonging in his new home, Aker decided to rekindle his love for wrestling. Being a young boy in a foreign country where he didn't speak the language was challenging at the best of times, but his talent for the sport opened up a lot of doors for him. After some impressive performances on the junior international scene, he was invited to a training camp with Serbian Olympic champion, @DavorStefanek. This was when he realised that the lofty world of Olympic competition was one he may have a chance of accessing, a long-standing dream of his. In 2019, his dream edged closer to reality. He was provided with funding & support to aid him in this endeavour, one that he ultimately fulfilled by being selected for the Olympic refugee team in this year’s Tokyo games. ⁠
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However, an Olympic medal isn't all Aker desires. He wants to participate in the Olympics in the name of all displaced persons around the world. To show that, in short, #RefugeesArePeople. He says: “I’m trying to give us a voice, to show that refugees are not bad people. We should not always be thought of as the bad guys and associated with negative things. We want to show that foreign people can do good things, be good in sports, to get medals.”

🌳 There are roughly 85 million people that are

🌳 There are roughly 85 million people that are displaced, forced to leave their homes due to war, violence, persecution, or natural disaster. Roughly 21 million are refugees & 4 million are asylum seekers, having been granted or in the process of applying for international refuge outside of their country. A further 48 million people are internally displaced. These are men, women, and children retreating from sources of danger in their own country, reliant on their home government for aid, even if that government is the reason for their displacement.

The number of IDPs has doubled since 2010. This is in no small part due to the Syrian Civil War, starting in 2011, which has caused upwards of 6 million people to be cast internally adrift. This is a shocking third of the population. An insurgence of brutal Taliban activity in Afghanistan has also resulted in 4 million of the 40 million population becoming internally displaced, with 80% of IDPs being women and children.

Internal displacement is an issue of global scale, beyond the middle east. 10% of the population of Colombia are internally displaced, forcibly moved by the mounting conflict between the government and militia groups. Some 3 million of the 16 million population in Somalia are also displaced due to ongoing political disputes raging between Al-Shabaab, a jihadist group, and the Somali government. Covid-19 has also further complicated displacement routes. Innocent civilians have sought to avoid areas of overcrowding for fear of contracting the virus, a considerable restriction of options in a country that has only a slither of territory on the East African coast.

IDPs often retreat into hard-to-reach areas of their countries, making it challenging for humanitarian organisations to provide aid. They are amongst the most vulnerable people in the world, often subjected to a prejudicial government and with few means of seeking refuge abroad. They provide a uniquely taxing challenge to the humanitarian world, one that you can help to tackle by donating to a host of organisations, including @mercycorps, @savethechildren, & @shelterboxuk, or spread awareness on the challenges IDPs face around the world!

<img src="https://secondtree.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png" alt="🌳 There are roughly 85 million people that are displaced, forced to leave their homes due to war, violence, persecution, or natural disaster. Roughly 21 million are refugees & 4 million are asylum seekers, having been granted or in the process of applying for international refuge outside of their country. A further 48 million people are internally displaced. These are men, women, and children retreating from sources of danger in their own country, reliant on their home government for aid, even if that government is the reason for their displacement. The number of IDPs has doubled since 2010. This is in no small part due to the Syrian Civil War, starting in 2011, which has caused upwards of 6 million people to be cast internally adrift. This is a shocking third of the population. An insurgence of brutal Taliban activity in Afghanistan has also resulted in 4 million of the 40 million population becoming internally displaced, with 80% of IDPs being women and children. Internal displacement is an issue of global scale, beyond the middle east. 10% of the population of Colombia are internally displaced, forcibly moved by the mounting conflict between the government and militia groups. Some 3 million of the 16 million population in Somalia are also displaced due to ongoing political disputes raging between Al-Shabaab, a jihadist group, and the Somali government. Covid-19 has also further complicated displacement routes. Innocent civilians have sought to avoid areas of overcrowding for fear of contracting the virus, a considerable restriction of options in a country that has only a slither of territory on the East African coast. IDPs often retreat into hard-to-reach areas of their countries, making it challenging for humanitarian organisations to provide aid. They are amongst the most vulnerable people in the world, often subjected to a prejudicial government and with few means of seeking refuge abroad. They provide a uniquely taxing challenge to the humanitarian world, one that you can help to tackle by donating to a host of organisations, including @mercycorps, @savethechildren, & @shelterboxuk, or spread awareness on the challenges IDPs face around the world!">

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