Volt’s Europe-Wide Humanitarian Campaign Delivers 15.000 Face Masks to Lesbos

• Within two weeks the grass-root initiative #EuropeCares has collected more than 20.000 face shields and masks for refugee camps in Greece to shield people from COVID-19
• Volunteers, companies and donors from over ten European countries have supported the initiative

Europe – Volt, the Pan-European movement, has successfully delivered more than 15.000 face masks to refugee camps in Greece through the #EuropeCares initiative as it seeks to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe on the continent’s borders. 

Volt started #EuropeCares to overcome the lack of initiative by Europe's national political governments regarding the danger COVID-19 poses for refugees. This has resulted in human rights violations and desperate living conditions in the camps, where over 40.000 people are crowded together without protection from the disease. Volt’s Member of the European Parliament, Damian Boeselager, has long demanded immediate action to evacuate all individuals in all camps in order to ensure their safety. 

Finally, on 14th of April, Volt members created #EuropeCares as a grass-root campaign to provide direct relief in the camps, while still fighting for a political initiative to evacuate their inhabitants.

“#EuropeCares does not only supply masks and relief goods”, said Lennard Everwien, Volt’s General Secretary and one of the campaign initiators, Lennard Everwien.”It also sends a clear message to the world that Europe does not turn a blind eye towards people in hardship and at risk of harm.”

In just 14 days, the project collected thousands of handmade masks from volunteers and businesses. The team also received face shields from maker spaces that started 3D printing protective equipment during the crisis. Hundreds of small donations added up to over 5.000 €, are making it possible for the first shipment to arrive on Lesbos next week.

Thanks to the cooperation partner  Team Humanity, the masks will be allocated by medical staff to where they are most needed.

Due to the overwhelming support a second shipment is in planning and will focus on food and hygiene products, such as diapers,which are desperately needed.

Volt calls for decisive political actions to protect and help the people on Europe’s periphery. The movement urges Europe to pick up responsibility and to offer these refugees safe passage to aprotected environment.

Further information: 

www.europecares.org
www.volteuropa.org
www.instagram.com/volteuropa
www.twitter.com/volteuropa

For media inquiries please contact:

Fabian Annich
fabian.annich@volteuropa.org / media@volteuropa.org

Tel. +49 157 39122 563