HELP US IMPROVE REFUGEES’ WELL-BEING THROUGH SPORTS!

RUNNING TOGETHER MAKES US ALL STRONGER!

Support our RUNNING PROGRAM and help us provide our runners with running shoes, sports clothes, and registration fees for competitions.

What we do

Yoga and Sport for Refugees works to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of refugees by empowering them through sports, and building a strong and passionate community together, nurturing a sense of belonging for people to feel safe, supported, and motivated to begin to rebuild their lives.

Yoga and Sport for Refugees is a non-profit organisation that was set up in Lesvos in 2017, after understanding the huge necessity to bring relief, positive energy, and a health alternative, to refugees stranded on the island while they endure the asylum process in conditions that no one ever should have to suffer. There are currently over 14,000 refugees in the island without access to humane living conditions, let alone to medical care, education, work or recreation.

The Running Program

Yoga and Sport for Refugees began with only a couple of runners back in December of 2017, running every morning from the refugee camp in Moria to the mountains nearby. Today, we are thrilled to welcome an average of 30 runners of different fitness levels per run. We provide them on a daily basis with running gear to do different trainings: endurance and long-distance running in the mountains, speed work at the Municipal Stadium of Mytilene, and flat runs along the seaside.

We set up common goals to run local races, where our runners win quite a few medals on every competition! But it's not only about running, by participating in races we promote collaboration, integration, and socialising with the local communities, helping our refugee teammates begin to restore their social well-being and psychological health. Sport and play activities enhance resilience, facilitate emotional and social stabilisation and the acquisition of new skills and abilities.

We are constantly inspired and motivated by the huge improvements in our runners, not only in their fitness level and running skills, but in their state of mind and spirit. Running decreases symptoms of depression, improves learning abilities, sharpens memory, alleviates anxiety, improves sleep patterns, and boosts self-esteem. It's wonderful to see our team happier, more confident, and more fulfilled with every run!

The best thing about running together and being a team is the support we bring to each other, the sense of belonging, and caring for one another.

Our next big goal is running the Athens Marathon. This will be the first time our team will run the iconic race, and we believe that the positive experience of training and running together will not only enhance our team spirit and nurture our bodies, minds, and souls, but will also aid in building self-confidence, determination, and discipline. We hope our example inspires and moves many others to run, to help, to keep going, and to support one another!

Funding

Yoga and Sport for Refugees is funded through independent donations and, with the support of our sponsors and volunteers, we are now able to welcome 1,325 visitors per week at our gym and other locations for our more than 20 different classes which also include yoga, martial arts, team sports, swimming, dancing, and body building.

But we can’t do this alone! We need long-term partners who share our goals and who want to help us achieve much more with their support. Become part of our team and sponsor our runners!

This is what we need:

EXPENSE	COST	DESCRIPTION
Weekly long run snacks / water	€1,040	€ 20 per week x 52 weeks
Running gear	€8,300	100 pairs of running shoes €6,000 30 short sleeve shirts €600 30 long sleeve shirts €600 30 jackets €900 60 pairs of socks €300
Local Races	€8,000	€ 800 euro per race x 10 races per year Race registration: €15 per person average (15 - 30 runners per race) Transportation: €80 per day per van (2 vans) Gas/Diesel: €40 per van Pre-race breakfast: €30 Post-race lunch: €200
Athens Marathon	€1,900	Race registration: €25 per runner (10 runners) Transportation: €60 per person ferry/bus round tickets to Athens Accommodation: €15 per person per day for 3 days Meals: €20 per person per day for 3 days
Total	€19,240

Next Year's Goals

We've come a long way since December of 2017, but there is still so much to be done to help our refugee community, and we will keep working hard to support more people every day. This is what we want to achieve in 2020:

• Have proper running gear for every runner for summer and winter trainings.
• Offer beginner, intermediate, and advanced running trainings, reaching out to more runners.
• Create a women's running team.
• Run every local race.
• Run the Athens Marathon.

Your donation is a great gift, you will be giving refugees more than a pair of shoes, you will be giving them hope, support, and a chance at a better life.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US ALL ACHIEVE OUR GOALS!