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September 26, 2024

The ANKAA Project Provides Training and Education for Refugees in Athens

From the Ground

by Merel Graeve

A group of five people, including refugees, stands in a room adorned with star-themed decorations, smiling warmly at the camera. | Support refugees across Europe in Greece, France, the UK and the Balkans

We sat down for a catch up with Line from the wonderful ANKAA Project and she showed us around the workshop. This is another fantastic project of vocational and educational training in the centre of Athens.

At ANKAA they hold Greek classes, sewing classes and employ some of the master tailors they trained in their workshop! They work on commissions for designers, make merchandise for other NGOs that they partner with, and are now also working on their own collection. (I’ll be first in line when that beautifully crafted shirt and skirt will hit the online shop!)

What is really impressive is that ANKAA manage to cover about 20% of their operational costs from the their commissions and sales. They also help set their students up with bank accounts, cvs, and connections with employers which is so vital in a place where refugees are so ostracised in society.

We recently provided them with a grant to buy laptops so people are able to have computer access. So much love for the amazing ANKAA team!

In the sewing studio, a person diligently works on fabric pieces at a large table, surrounded by shelves of thread and flags. This scene is part of the ANKAA Project's training initiative, fostering education and skill development in textile arts. | Support refugees across Europe in Greece, France, the UK and the Balkans
A master tailor at work!
A mannequin dons a beige knotted top and white skirt with yellow stripes, standing in a room filled with shelves of fabrics and boxes, embodying the ANKAA Project's mission of education and training through creative exploration. | Support refugees across Europe in Greece, France, the UK and the Balkans
I'm first in line when this is available!
A person smiling while wearing a flamingo-patterned bucket hat, standing in front of shelves with neatly stacked fabric rolls, embodying the spirit of the ANKAA Project—a vibrant hub dedicated to education and training in creative craftsmanship. | Support refugees across Europe in Greece, France, the UK and the Balkans
Amber modelling their flamingo hat commission.
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