Working for International Rescue Committee

During the first week of March, I accompanied Lena Headey, British actor known for her role in the TV series Game of Thrones, to Lesvos island in Greece for the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Headey is an IRC ambassador and has visited refugees on a previous visit to Lesvos in 2016. These are her posts from Instagram and a link to an article which features my photo of Lena. She returned to spotlight the mental health crisis which has resulted from widespread suffering and disillusionment, after about 10,000 asylum-seekers spent another miserable, rainy winter in the island camps, many in crowded tents. We had the chance to tour the infamous government-run Moria camp, where thousands of men, women and children asylum-seekers are made to wait months (and in some cases, years) for their status to be determined. For many, the situation is hopeless. Even if they are granted status in Greece, it’s a dead-end. They cannot legally move from Greece to other European countries, and Greece offers little in terms of job opportunities for those deemed refugees. Many will eventually fall into poverty and despair and some will chose to return to their country of origin after a harrowing experience in Europe. Lena was interviewed on PBS’ Amanpour & Co. I shot the video from the camp visit which is featured towards the beginning of the interview. 

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