By Deanna Senko, Cecilia Balbo | Head of Communications, Communications Intern
Since restarting our programming in June 2025, Lighthouse Relief has been steadily rebuilding stable, supportive, and accessible spaces for women, children, and young people residing in the Malakasa and Ritsona refugee camps. Thanks to your generosity, we have expanded activities, diversified learning opportunities, strengthened partnerships, and reached more community members than ever through regular programming.
Each week, our team hosts football sessions for young men from Ritsona Refugee Camp in collaboration with a local football club. These gatherings offer far more than sport — they provide psychosocial support through recreation, healthy snacks, and a sense of belonging. Participants often share with us how these sessions help them strengthen confidence, teamwork, physical and emotional resilience.
Our Safe Space sessions for women and children at the Sama Community Centre continue to flourish. Every Thursday, participation grows as new community members join to relax, connect, and access supportive activities outside the isolation of the camps. To ensure accessibility, Lighthouse Relief provides transportation to and from Ritsona, and on a case-by-case basis from Malakasa, securing inclusive access for residents with physical disabilities. These efforts have led to a notable increase in participation, particularly among residents of Ritsona Camp, as the year came to a close.
In December, we introduced new creative outlets for self-expression at Sama. In collaboration with artist Janet Lines, women participated in an artistic workshop exploring themes of belonging, hope, and memory — creating pieces for a future exhibition. This space for creativity and self-reflection was deeply meaningful, and we are now exploring bi-weekly workshops informed by participant feedback.
We also welcomed the Flying Seagull Project for an afternoon of laughter, games, and play for all ages. This joyful session helped participants, facilitators, and volunteers alike reconnect with their inner child, strengthening wellbeing, and community bonds.
Alongside our Safe Space activities, self-defense classes led by EmpowerVan continue to be highly valued, with participants reporting increased confidence after each session. Additionally, Greek and English language classes support social integration and self-determination.
In January, we launched classes in female reproductive health in partnership with Women Healthcare On the Move (WHOM). The first session provided a safe, private environment for women to learn and ask questions, consequently supporting good hygiene practices, bodily autonomy, and informed decisionmaking — an essential resource in camp settings.
These past few months have been a time of growth, learning, and community-building for Lighthouse Relief. Our team has participated in additional support sessions led by the Sama Community Centre, enabling us to deepen partnerships and provide activities that respond to the needs and interests of the community. In these sessions, our team has been assisting in the facilitation of physical activities such as volleyball, basketball, and badminton, as well as structured workshops including drawing, language classes and board games.
Thanks to our network of partners and donors, we have organised several successful distributions of necessities at the Sama Centre. In October, we distributed 500 hygiene packs containing soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, underwear, sanitary pads, and diapers. We also held multiple clothing distributions for women, men, and families (warm jackets, shoes, children’s clothes, trousers, etc). Working alongside Sama, Christian Refugee Relief (CRR), Eurorelief, I58 and other local organisations, we aim to continue monthly distributions. December and January distributions each reached more than 700 community members.
Impact Numbers
From October onwards, Lighthouse Relief has welcomed 304 cumulative participants to our football sessions. Our Safe Space sessions for women and children welcomed 433 individual participants (205 women, 228 children). Sama support sessions have welcomed an estimated 200 people per day. LHR and our partners distributed around 500 individual kits per month, more than doubling the number of community members reached through our programming compared to previous months before distribution events.
Testimonials
Below are some remarks shared by women participating in our Thursday sessions.
“Sama makes me feel as if I am staying back home in Sudan. We come here with our kids, and feel comfortable. The people here [at Lighthouse Relief and Sama Community Centre] are kind, they provide us with the services that make us feel relaxed, for example if we have problems they listen to us and give the best option to deal with it.”
“I want to express my gratitude for your incredible dedication and compassion in helping refugees. Your tireless efforts, patience and kindness bring hope to those who need it most. You inspire everyone around you with your perseverance and your genuine care for others. The impact you make goes far beyond words, you truly change lives. Thank you for being a shining example of empathy, strength, and humanity. The world needs more people like you.”
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By Cecilia Balbo | Communications Intern
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