Lesvos Spirit
In a place where stress and uncertainty are present every day, exercise brings relief and builds confidence. “Sport really helps all of us here keep a positive spirit.” Welcome to the KLABU clubhouse in Lesvos, Greece.
Mavrovouni Transit Camp
Two years after the Moria refugee camp in Lesvos was ravaged by fire, people are still arriving on the island every week seeking asylum.
Mavrovouni Transit Camp
Two years after the Moria refugee camp in Lesvos was ravaged by fire, people are still arriving on the island every week seeking asylum.
They all share one dream: to spread their wings and fly away to a safer and better future. A future in a country that will allow them to rebuild their lives and contribute to society.
The KLABU clubhouse
During the summer of 2022, KLABU landed in Lesvos to work on a grassroots basis with the local community. After an initial period inside the Mavrovouni Camp, the clubhouse is now active just outside of it, in Kara Tepe.
Now located at Yoga & Sports for Refugees’ (YSR) gym, it provides access to equipment and clothing, music and television for its members. It compliments the gym’s activities and is also portable in case the camp’s residents are relocated.
Being outside the confines of the camp, the clubhouse is a safe space that people can look forward to and escape to. A place to create memories that people can take back into the camp and onwards on their journeys.
The KLABU clubhouse
During the summer of 2022, KLABU landed in Lesvos to work on a grassroots basis with the local community. After an initial period inside the Mavrovouni Camp, the clubhouse is now active just outside of it, in Kara Tepe.
Now located at Yoga & Sports for Refugees’ (YSR) gym, it provides access to equipment and clothing, music and television for its members. It compliments the gym’s activities and is also portable in case the camp’s residents are relocated.
Being outside the confines of the camp, the clubhouse is a safe space that people can look forward to and escape to. A place to create memories that people can take back into the camp and onwards on their journeys.
The KLABU clubhouse is also a social hub where people can meet, listen to music and watch broadcast sports matches or films.
Most importantly, the clubhouse brightens up an otherwise difficult environment. A beacon of joy to support the unbeatable spirit of its members: the Lesvos Spirit.
The Club Shirt
The refugee athletes of the KLABU clubhouse in Lesvos wear their own club shirt, which was designed together with the community. Their badge symbolises hope and peace, the shirt colours reflect strength and resilience, and the pattern adds wings to fly beyond the boundaries of the camp. We can only hope that one day they will be given a chance to fly.
Shop
The Club Shirt
The refugee athletes of the KLABU clubhouse in Lesvos wear their own club shirt, which was designed together with the community. Their badge symbolises hope and peace, the shirt colours reflect strength and resilience, and the pattern adds wings to fly beyond the boundaries of the camp. We can only hope that one day they will be given a chance to fly.
ShopKLABU invites you to support the Lesvos Spirit by wearing the shirt, available through the webshop and in the KLABU Amsterdam store.
A big thank you...
to all organisations and individuals who made this project possible. To 24Lesbos and Tchai for contributing funds. To photographer Coco Olakunle for capturing the Lesvos Spirit and human potential of the people during the launch of the clubhouse. To the artist eL Seed for working with the community to make the clubhouse their own - stay tuned, more to come. To TPV Cares (Philips) for donating quality televisions and sound, to Avery Dennison for contributing beautiful high-quality trims for the Lesvos Spirit collection, to Nike for donating sports equipment for the clubhouse and to Flexport for supporting the transport. To Movement on the Ground for helping us set up the project with heart and spirit. And to Yoga & Sports with Refugees for welcoming our clubhouse with open arms and carrying the Lesvos Spirit forward.
