What crisis?

The European refugee 'crisis' is not so much a crisis of migration as it is a crisis in reception policy. It is designed to deny people seeking refuge access to basic rights and to the benefits of European society; and to deter other people from trying to enter Europe.

The Greek problem

Look at how this checklist-process works in Greece:

1. Close urban housing programmes, push people into prison-like camps far from city centres.

2. Stop these people from accessing services, communities or jobs (unless you can effectively exploit them).

3. Dismantle options for people to obtain legal status

4. Criminalise anyone who's left

5. Remove right to asylum completely.

Mazí Housing is different

At Mazí know exactly what we stand for: freedom, curiosity and care. It is not for us to judge who is worthy of our empathy. But it is for us to show that it's possible to meet the standards of society we expect to live in.

Mazí supports "deprioritised demographics", and here in Greece, that means young men who are travelling alone. Often perceived as strong and independent, while also expected to provide, these young men who face barriers to society become vulnerable to exploitation. At Mazí, residents have safe accommodation from which they are supported to address health problems, develop skills, find work and build independence. Find out more about our work here.

Help us stay in the race

Mazí is the only structured housing programme for young men seeking refuge in Greece. And we need your help. As the shelters close, charities leave Greece and the camps fill up – we are left plugging gaps in government support. Join us in pushing back against this drift: Mazí is an example of our best foot forward, of the kind of society we would all like to be a part of, where individuals are supported to be the best of themselves.

Challenge the narrative

Whether as a runner, or a donor, your contribution is vital to our continued support for young, hopeful men who are displaced in Athens. Joining this community helps us challenge the narrative that deprives young men of choice and forces them down destructive paths. Help us to remove the obstacles that keep these young men from fulfilling their potential, and creating positive lives for themselves and their communities.

To join our band of runners in 2026, please reach out to cosmo@mazihousing.org. To donate this year, click give now.