Story
So, I decided to be daft and sign up for the Copenhagen marathon a while ago. Now it is looming in a few weeks and if anything is going to make the last few miles less miserable, it is knowing that a bit of cash is going to a decent cause because of my trudging efforts. And while there are a million decent causes out there, Refucomm was the one that came to mind first. Started by the utterly indomitable Sharon Silvey, it doesn’t deal in food, or clothes, or shelter, but something else utterly vital: Information. Refucomm helps inform and empower refugees that have come to Europe in search of safety and a better future only find themselves shunned and marginalised. It lets them know their rights and how to stand up for them in places like the Greek island of Lesvos, where thousands of people remain trapped in terrible camps (pictured above over the winter) unable to move on to the mainland in a purgatory created by toxic politics. Giving guidance in a wide array of languages, and using everything from online videos to simcards packed with information, it equips people with better chance to determine their own fortunes - something all the more vital with the threat of more deportations back to Turkey looming. They also are a tiny team who happened to beat the likes of the Red Cross to win a prestigious award for their efforts, so big up to them for that too! But awards don’t mean money, and without money they can’t keep going, so if you’ve got a few quid to donate, that would be absolutely bloody grand. Plus you get that great schadenfreude feeling of knowing I won’t be able to walk for at least 48 hours once I’ve limped across the finish line! (A Note: RefuComm don't have a just giving account so Donate4Refugees, who have worked with them, are kindly acting as a go-between)