Over 1.500 refugees, adults and children, have been trained by Hellenic Rescue Team in First Aid, Fire and Natural Disasters Safety and self-protection through the “Learn-Prevent-Protect” project, which was launched on October 2018, with the UNHCR support.
The project has been conducted in support services and camps in the wider area of Northern Greece and its objective is to train refugees in providing First Aid to any person that is injured or might be at risk, while, at the same time, teach them how to react in case of fire, earthquake or flood. With the help and guidance of the HRT members, refugees are also trained in methods of preventing and dealing with emergency situations caused by extreme weather conditions.
Up until now, 655 adults have been trained in First Aid, 320 in fire safety and 590 children and teenagers have participated in the “Safeland Playground” training course.
The «Safeland Playground» module is a fun and educational course targeted at teenagers and young people, which includes interactive games on maritime safety and outdoor activities. In “Safeland Playground”, young refugees are trained in the use of safety equipment, such as life jackets, naval and mountaineering knots, orientation and survival in nature. With this activity, young refugees are given the opportunity to interact and love nature, learning at the same time how to deal with the dangers they may encounter as well as how to work together as a group.
HRT has conducted the above mentioned trainings with the support of the Ministry for Migration Policy, along with the cooperation of Arsis, Solidarity Now, Praksis, Be a Robin-Israid, Irida, Drop in the Ocean, Danish Refugee Council and International Organization for Migration. It is worth mentioning that the program is still ongoing.
The «Learn-Prevent-Protect» project is implemented following the Nansen Refugee Award 2016 that was presented to the Hellenic Rescue Team from UNHCR as recognition of the organization’s volunteers efforts to save refugees in distress at sea in the islands of the eastern Aegean.
photo: Maria Mintsidou, www.mintsidouphotography.gr
