Author Archive

Sarah El-Rashidi

Sarah El-Rashidi is a humanitarian worker and journalist with experience ranging from the United Nation’s: WHO, UNFPA and UNHCR and covering the Egyptian Revolution 2011 via TV, radio, writing, photography and film. She is currently pursuing a PhD at Oxford University following a Masters at Cambridge University. Follow her on instagram: sarah_el_rashidia and Twitter: @elrashidis

The charming Greek island of Lesbos, once famous for its rich heritage, ouzo, and olive oil, is a notorious hotspot for refugees. The symbolic Statue of Liberty, standing tall since 1922, serves as a reminder of the island’s history following the Asia Minor war when thousands of Greeks fled to Lesbos. Located in the Aegean Sea near Turkey, the island became a focal point during the refugee crisis in 2015 when approximately 379,000 refugees arrived. Refugees continue to arrive every day, and around 17,029 people of the island’s population of over 86,000 people are refugees, the majority of whom are children (43 percent) many unaccompanied (18 percent) – from war torn countries.   With the influx of refugees, the island …