As waves of people continue to arrive onto Greece’s shores, the International Rescue Committee is ramping up its response on the island of Lesbos, the entry point for more than half of the refugees seeking sanctuary in Europe. The IRC is shipping 12,000 WakaWaka Powers to aid in the relief efforts bringing critically-needed safe light to refugees and helping them stay connected to their loved ones. The WakaWaka Power is an essential non-food item for people fleeing crisis or emergency situations.
The IRC also provides protection and information services 12 hours a day in the Kara Tepe transit camp outside Mytilene, the capital of Lebos. The camp, built to accommodate 500 people, has housed up to 5,000. IRC teams not only assist with registration services but also identify and provide the most vulnerable with services like wheelchairs for the elderly and referring sick children to the hospital. The IRC has also installed streetlights to improve safety conditions.