Camp Moria began in 2010. In September 2020, it burned to the ground.
The fire started on the evening of September 9th.. In a matter of a few hours, the thousands of refugees who called Moria home were displaced en masse onto the streets of Lesvos Island. In just over twenty-four hours, Moria was turned into ashes.
Men, women, and children slept stretched out beside the island roads for one week. The Greek authorities and several NGOs worked together that week to quickly set up a new, temporary camp for the 12,000 people that had been left homeless.
In that week, Camp Mavrovouni was born.
Camp Moria is still a graveyard of ash and rubble. It still tells the story of the thousands of refugees who passed through, desperate to find a better life. It still tells the story of the thousands of volunteers who worked there, daily struggling to do what they could to help.
Only a few miles away, the “New Camp” hums with activity, people coming and going, volunteers showing refugees where they can sleep. Children laugh and play despite the difficulties of living in a tent, far away from their homeland.
Camp Moria is no more, but the work continues.