How can refugee children, who have neither a home nor internet access, continue their education now that all schools have closed? METAdrasi’s education team in Chios and Lesvos managed to solve the riddle using a lot of imagination and creativity!

Based on the needs of each class, our team created for the children who participate in METAdrasi’s non-formal Education programs, educational material that includes exercises in Greek, English and Mathematics, so that they can continue following the program. The team then found a way to distribute this material to the children in the hotspots, while observing all safety measures to eliminate coronavirus transmission. Each week, the educational and administrative staff of the teams, in collaboration with the camps administration, place a box at a specific spot in the hotspots from which students receive the material, while at the same time returning their work from last week to be corrected and graded.

In the beginning, our team was greatly concerned. Would the children understand the new procedure? Would they be interested? We got our answer from the very first distribution, where 386 students in both islands came to receive educational material, while in the next two distributions the same process continued with equally high participation.

The students’ commitment and willingness are truly remarkable. Every week they come with great anticipation to receive the educational material and to return the exercises they have completed. With their big smiles and their desire to learn, they prove to us that when there is dedication from both the students and the teachers, all obstacles can be surpassed, no matter how difficult the conditions might be!

Education activities for children on the islands are implemented with the support of UNHCR.