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We change
refugee narratives

Second Tree works to change the way that refugees are seen by society, and the way that they see society and themselves.

Our work is underpinned by an approach that tackles the stereotype that refugees are villains, heroes or hopeless victims – and promotes the reality that refugees are just people.

Our model is applied in all our activities:

Through thought leadership and training that challenges the narratives of refugees as victims

With refugees

Through language learning, youth wellbeing and integration projects that take refugees out of camps and into local life

We are Second Tree

Second Tree is a grassroots, volunteer-run humanitarian organisation that works with refugees in Northern Greece.

Our work is underpinned by a core ethos: to treat refugees as the people they are and overcome stereotypes of victimization and romanticization.

Do some good today

  • 📢 London-based theatre company @phosphorostheatre is a platform for the migration experience – bringing the challenges faced by refugees in the UK to public attention. The shows that Phosphoros produce allow actors to reclaim their own stories, breaking away from the bias & hostility that often dominate newspaper headlines. ⁠
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This Spring, Phosphoros Theatre is starting an exciting new project! Tender (2024) will see a cast of refugee actors take centre stage, bringing their audience on journeys of financial & social struggles through the lens of young people with a loud determination to make a better future!⁠
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Tender is the first production where the main cast began their acting journey through Phosphoros’s Young Company. The Young Company youth project was set up for refugee actors to learn creative skills & use storytelling for shared feelings of belonging.👏⁠
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Travelling to Derby, London and Manchester, Tender’s tour will include workshops for young refugees! ⁠
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🎟️ Interested in learning more or attending a performance? Link in bio for details ⬆️⁠
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#community #refugeeswelcome #theater #everydayrefugees #refugeestories #leavenoonebehind #standwithrefugees #refugeesarepeople #solidarity #britain #watch #refugees #refugeecamp #nonprofit #education #volunteer #socialgood #humanitarian #bethechange #donate #causes #fundraising #activism #hope #skills #humanity #humanrights #learning #workshops #support.
  • Calling all our Italian friends! 🇮🇹⁠
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Support refugee children’s education in Northern Greece by giving your 5x1000 to Second Tree! ⁠
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With a small action & no extra cost to you, you can multiply students like Hamid’s opportunities to grow their individual characters, reach their potential, & have the same opportunities we have: to contribute to our community! 🌟⁠
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Visit the link in our bio to learn how to give your 5x1000 to Second Tree! ⁠
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#refugeesarepeople #community #opportunita⁠
#refugeeswelcome #noborders #refugeecrisis #openborders #leavenoonebehind #standwithrefugees #solidarity #refugees #refugeecamp #nonprofit #ngo #humanitarianaid #humanity #fundraising #greece #giveback #dogood #change #bethechange #cause #student #grow #free #socialchange #inspire #support #5x1000
  • In 1 hour, we will speak at Harvard Law School to tell Fatmata's story. Abu Bakar will be there with his testimony from Skopje, as well as Глигор Ќато, who immediately offered to represent Abu pro bono. The fact that the European Parliament, OSCE, the Pope, and now even the most important university in the world takes an interest in what happened to Fatmata shows that not all injustices are just forgotten, that in our unforgiving world, there is still a flicker of hope, that our Fatmata is gone but she is still leaving a mark.⁠
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The link to join (at 17.30 UK, 18.30 CET, 19.30 Greece) via Zoom in the first comment ⬇️⁠ & link in bio!
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#borderviolence #refugeesarepeople #standwithrefugees ⁠
#leavenoonebehind #refugeestories #humanitarian #humanrights #justice #community #refugeeswelcome #activism #nonprofit #causes #human #hope #refugee #solidarity #unity #humanity #equlity #donate #people #refugees #bethechange #ngo #europe #humanrightswatch #opensociety #news #event
  • 🌳 Meet Rachel, the former Communications & Fundraising mastermind at Second Tree & supreme crafter! She first volunteered with us in 2019 & has since returned several times & supported us remotely 🫂⁠
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As so often happens at Second Tree, where work, memories & the common belief that #RefugeesArePeople knit people tightly together, she has gained long-lasting friends.⁠
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One of those friends is Iraklis! He owns @thimomenoportraito, a café that has given generations of Second Tree volunteers a second home where they can work, socialise, & organise community events. While coming back to visit Second Tree last month, Rachel gifted a handmade tribute of @thimomenoportraito to its owner ​🖼️⁠
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You can join our community too! Simply reach out to volunteer, support us remotely, or fundraise from home. We look forward to hearing from you!⁠ ⁠
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#refugeeswelcome #standwithrefugees #refugeesarepeople #solidarity #nonprofit #volunteer #crossstitch #socialgood #humanitarian #activism #greece #handmade #community #art #refugeestories #leavenoonebehind #refugees #refugeecamp #education #bethechange #donate #causes #fundraising #hope #humanity #humanrights #learning #home #friends
  • After Fatmata was shot & killed by a policeman near the Greek border in North Macedonia, her husband, Abu Bakar, called us, “They shot my wife. I’m completely alone here; please come”. The next day, we were with him. ⁠
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Second Tree has always been there for people in the refugee camps we work in, & we never abandon people. Yet, this call was unlike any we'd received before.⁠
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Of stories of death & refugees, we unfortunately know many. But this was the first time we heard of a person, a 23-year-old woman, being shot & killed by a policeman for crossing a border. While supporting Abu & following Fatmata’s story over the past year, connecting with people helping in any way they can, it's become clear that if Abu hadn’t stayed to seek justice for his wife in North Macedonia, Fatmata’s story would probably have been lost. ⁠
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Maybe Fatmata’s story happened before, but those stories went unheard. ⁠
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On Tuesday, we will stand beside Abu in the Skopje Criminal Court for the 11th time, seeking justice – knowing the importance of sharing these stories. ⁠
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⚖️ #JusticeForFatmata ⁠
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#borderviolence #refugeesarepeople #standwithrefugees ⁠
#leavenoonebehind #refugeestories #humanitarian #humanrights #justice #community #refugeeswelcome #activism #nonprofit #causes #human #hope #refugee #solidarity #unity #humanity #equlity #donate #people #refugees #bethechange #ngo #europe #humanrightswatch #opensociety #news