Context

The situation in Lesvos

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Asylum seekers

Humanitarian crisis in the reception and integration of asylum seekers and migrants. The Island of Lesbos and particularly the Moria camp is a European hotspot. Many basic needs are not met and lead to human tragedies. In addition, the lengthening of administrative waiting time for asylum applications requires innovative and sustainable solutions. Migration flows increasing locally and globally, particularly due to energetics and climatic issues.

Greek Economic Recession disrupting society but providing fertile ground for population’s search for resilience and autonomy.

What are Low-Technologies ?

Low technologies (or low-tech) are simple technical solutions that address basic needs (water, food production and conservation, energy, housing, transport, etc.) in an autonomous and resilient way. They must be accessible (in terms of the budget and know-how necessary for their manufacture); environmentally friendly (materials, renewable or reclaimed, low-energy, etc.); and use local resources (they are gradually adapted and adapted according to the constraints of different territories and the materials available there).

Local, sustainable, reusable...

Adapted to the local context

Examples include wood-efficient cookers, wind turbines, agro-ecological techniques, etc. In addition, low-tech is also a philosophy, that of doing more with less. Low-tech with Refugees experiments and adapts these solutions to the local context, with the different communities present on the island. They are both an end (as they produce well needed objects) and a means ( to strengthen social ties, acquire skills, …).

Our origins ?

From "for" to "with"...

The project started off as Low-tech for Refugees in February 2018 project as part of the Low-tech Lab (open-source documentation project of sustainable technical solutions found around the world and trail and testing of these solutions in specific environments) for the pilot phase.

The objective being to test how low-tech solutions could contribute to improving the living conditions on the island.