Refugee 4 Refugees founder, Omar Alshakal was forced to flee his home in Syria due to the civil war and arrived at the island of Kalymnos, Greece, after swimming for 14 hours from the Turkish cost in 2014
After receiving asylum in Greece, he travelled to Germany but upon hearing of the humanitarian emergency on the Greek island he returned to help thos who are currently living through similar experiences.
He knows first-hand the problems involved in obtaining asylum, what it is like to create a new life in a country far from the place you call home, often losing everything along the way.
After realising that he was well positioned to help fellow refugees and asylum seekers, he decided to start the organisation in 2017. With administrative support from Andrea Montenegro in 2017 and initial assistance from Imaya.
Refugees4Refugees was created, in order to asssist refugees and asylum seekers on their arrival to the Greek shores of Lesvos