CK Team Refugees
Donation protected
CK Team Refugees believes NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.
That's why we are a trusted partner of MSF Doctors Without Borders - the world's greatest humanitarian relief organisation.
Thank You for your continued support. Here are a few recent photos of our work, below which is our original story and history.
Please see our website www.ckteamrelief.org for latest news
With huge thanks
CK Team Refugees.
We now additionally work on mainland Greece providing schools, doctors, medicines, transport, aid and relief. And in Turkey supplying real life jackets to children and disrupting the supply of fakes which kill hundreds of Children
Original Story
We are a self funded volunteer group called The CK Team helping Medecins Sans Frontier by assisting desperate refugees who drift onto shore on the rocky North Eastern coastline of Lesvos and take care of their rescue, relief and transportation to Camp.
Initiated by Matt Llewellin, a principal of an international language college, we are now a team of 15 including emergency medics and search and rescue professıonals. On holiday in Turkey, Matt met a desperate family of refugees from Syria who were fleeing extremists and were about to cross to a Greek island in an inflatable boat. He asked them to get in touch when they were safe (thankfully they did) and subsequently travelled to Lesvos himself where he is now helping to coordinate this rapidly expanding voluntary relief effort.
Many of us are still haunted by the devastating image of young Aylan Kurdi who drowned on a Greek beach, and in Lesvos thousands of refugees risk the hazordous journey daily. Many aid agencies have set up camps which provide the lucky survivors with food, shelter and medical attention however the time between landing and reaching camp is a perilous one.
Most locations here have many incredible volunteers and aid agencies assisting however this particular area is so remote and difficult to reach that upto 1000 refugees a week, mainly women and children, are left to their own devices facing a hazordous climb up rocks and a 15km trek on a dangerous path up a mountain without food or water and sporting all sorts of friction and crush injuries. Refugees have died on the journey, mothers have given birth and mafia types have exploited them and there have been multiple RTAs.
Our relief effort has now expanded to include rescue, relief and transportation for refugees landing at 15 different locations along a 20kms coastline where we camp out every night. We are named the CK Team because we coordinate our efforts at the village of Kleio (Coordination Kleio)
Here are ten things which we are doing;
1. meet boats on landing and provide medical assistance and relief (our team recently saved 34 people thrown into the sea when hitting rocks.)
2. provide free transport (paid by us) to MSF camp by villager's pick ups in isolated and poorly accesible areas - this needs coordination
3. first response to information from United Rescues, ProActiva & our own network of villagers & signage on 15 beaches
4. infrastructure improvements and clean ups of inaccessible areas
5. casualty prevention planning & related projects & investments
6. run & stock our own clothes tent at MSF camp for upto 1000 refugees
7. give toys, water and snacks to kids & families and provide smiles
8. run a warehouse for northeastern lesvos on behalf of Lets Help Lesvos
9. break down so called 'mafia arrangements' exploiting refugees by bringing on board locals/villagers
10. laugh, cry and have fun together and work with many different fantastic volunteer groups !
We have rented accommodation for our volunteers and hired vehicles including 2 x 4x4 SUV and a minibus to reach the most remote spots. We are providing food, water and medical care, hypothermic blankets, dry clothes, nappies and toys. Our volunteers are constantly on watch for boats, guide refugees up the rocks & mountain and up to the MSF camp 15kms away at Mantamados where their caring team take over. Although not strictly legal we transport families there in our hired vehicles and we also pay the local villagers petrol money to transport them in their pick up trucks. This has eliminated the mafia and united the village behind our efforts and behind the refugees.
We would hugely appreciate volunteers here on the ground or any financial donations in order to continue this work throughout the winter and beyond. The weather is changing and conditions will only get worse for the refugees; sadly seven children lost their lives nearby last week but our team is committed to making this a safer place. Our volunteers pay for their own travel to the island and live on our team house and share team 4x4 vehicles. For refugees we provide medical treatment, first aid supplies, food, water, toys and dry clothes. We pay villagers 1 euro per person for transport and this accounts for upto 1000 euros a week. At our most dangerous location Korakas we have self funded the building of steps, mini platforms and a beach clean up to improve safety. MSF have helped us with mass casualty planning, improvements to buildings and emergency equipment. We have a base at the MSF camp and clothes distribution there has been sub contracted to our team.
Why are we doing this? Although heartbreaking and emotional, to see the smiles on the childrens faces when they are offered a little kindness is joyful and rewarding. These people are homeless, stateless and virtually possessionless yet the gratitude they show is beyond all expectations. We would be extremely grateful for your support.
Please like our facebook page to follow us; https://www.facebook.com/ckteamrefugees
New website www.ckteamrelief.org
Lifejackets campaign
www.gofundme.com/freelifejackets
Thank you and please get in touch if you can help or advise in any way.
That's why we are a trusted partner of MSF Doctors Without Borders - the world's greatest humanitarian relief organisation.
Thank You for your continued support. Here are a few recent photos of our work, below which is our original story and history.
Please see our website www.ckteamrelief.org for latest news
With huge thanks
CK Team Refugees.
We now additionally work on mainland Greece providing schools, doctors, medicines, transport, aid and relief. And in Turkey supplying real life jackets to children and disrupting the supply of fakes which kill hundreds of Children
Original Story
We are a self funded volunteer group called The CK Team helping Medecins Sans Frontier by assisting desperate refugees who drift onto shore on the rocky North Eastern coastline of Lesvos and take care of their rescue, relief and transportation to Camp.
Initiated by Matt Llewellin, a principal of an international language college, we are now a team of 15 including emergency medics and search and rescue professıonals. On holiday in Turkey, Matt met a desperate family of refugees from Syria who were fleeing extremists and were about to cross to a Greek island in an inflatable boat. He asked them to get in touch when they were safe (thankfully they did) and subsequently travelled to Lesvos himself where he is now helping to coordinate this rapidly expanding voluntary relief effort.
Many of us are still haunted by the devastating image of young Aylan Kurdi who drowned on a Greek beach, and in Lesvos thousands of refugees risk the hazordous journey daily. Many aid agencies have set up camps which provide the lucky survivors with food, shelter and medical attention however the time between landing and reaching camp is a perilous one.
Most locations here have many incredible volunteers and aid agencies assisting however this particular area is so remote and difficult to reach that upto 1000 refugees a week, mainly women and children, are left to their own devices facing a hazordous climb up rocks and a 15km trek on a dangerous path up a mountain without food or water and sporting all sorts of friction and crush injuries. Refugees have died on the journey, mothers have given birth and mafia types have exploited them and there have been multiple RTAs.
Our relief effort has now expanded to include rescue, relief and transportation for refugees landing at 15 different locations along a 20kms coastline where we camp out every night. We are named the CK Team because we coordinate our efforts at the village of Kleio (Coordination Kleio)
Here are ten things which we are doing;
1. meet boats on landing and provide medical assistance and relief (our team recently saved 34 people thrown into the sea when hitting rocks.)
2. provide free transport (paid by us) to MSF camp by villager's pick ups in isolated and poorly accesible areas - this needs coordination
3. first response to information from United Rescues, ProActiva & our own network of villagers & signage on 15 beaches
4. infrastructure improvements and clean ups of inaccessible areas
5. casualty prevention planning & related projects & investments
6. run & stock our own clothes tent at MSF camp for upto 1000 refugees
7. give toys, water and snacks to kids & families and provide smiles
8. run a warehouse for northeastern lesvos on behalf of Lets Help Lesvos
9. break down so called 'mafia arrangements' exploiting refugees by bringing on board locals/villagers
10. laugh, cry and have fun together and work with many different fantastic volunteer groups !
We have rented accommodation for our volunteers and hired vehicles including 2 x 4x4 SUV and a minibus to reach the most remote spots. We are providing food, water and medical care, hypothermic blankets, dry clothes, nappies and toys. Our volunteers are constantly on watch for boats, guide refugees up the rocks & mountain and up to the MSF camp 15kms away at Mantamados where their caring team take over. Although not strictly legal we transport families there in our hired vehicles and we also pay the local villagers petrol money to transport them in their pick up trucks. This has eliminated the mafia and united the village behind our efforts and behind the refugees.
We would hugely appreciate volunteers here on the ground or any financial donations in order to continue this work throughout the winter and beyond. The weather is changing and conditions will only get worse for the refugees; sadly seven children lost their lives nearby last week but our team is committed to making this a safer place. Our volunteers pay for their own travel to the island and live on our team house and share team 4x4 vehicles. For refugees we provide medical treatment, first aid supplies, food, water, toys and dry clothes. We pay villagers 1 euro per person for transport and this accounts for upto 1000 euros a week. At our most dangerous location Korakas we have self funded the building of steps, mini platforms and a beach clean up to improve safety. MSF have helped us with mass casualty planning, improvements to buildings and emergency equipment. We have a base at the MSF camp and clothes distribution there has been sub contracted to our team.Why are we doing this? Although heartbreaking and emotional, to see the smiles on the childrens faces when they are offered a little kindness is joyful and rewarding. These people are homeless, stateless and virtually possessionless yet the gratitude they show is beyond all expectations. We would be extremely grateful for your support.
Please like our facebook page to follow us; https://www.facebook.com/ckteamrefugees
New website www.ckteamrelief.org
Lifejackets campaign
www.gofundme.com/freelifejackets
Thank you and please get in touch if you can help or advise in any way.
Organizer
Matt Llewellin
Organizer
