Since 2016 a self organized team of cyclists have taken the road to London, Brussels, Leuven, and Paris, building a tradition of cycling on the paths of Europe to support displaced unaccompanied children and youth who are alone in Greece.
With everyone's help, we let these children know: they should never have to walk alone again!
Since 2016
Just Running started in 2017 as a yearly dedication of different runners across Europe, who pledged to support their training or competition to support the cause of unaccompanied children.
A nature lover? join or organize a hiking event, come discover the trailing paths and help minors find their own path in life!
BECOME AN
Join our team as an ambassador and provide your valuable support organising an event or spreading the message!
OUR CAUSE
Helping Unaccompanied Minors find their path in life
Since 2015, 160,000 children under 18 years old fled to Europe alone or lost their families on the road to safety.
Like all children, they deserve a future too. That’s why we started the Just Cycling challenge.
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Since 2016 citizens from all around the world have come together using their passion for sport to support children who have lost their homes and are alone in Greece.
In 2016, Just Cycling helped 5 children start a new life in Portugal through the groundbreaking program of METAdrasi. In 2017 71 children in transit shelters in Greece with food, clothes, medical, psychological support, educational and recreational activities. In 2018, we funded Just Cycling in the Park, an activity for unaccompanied children from the Athens shelter to practice our favorite sport! Together with them we also refurbished their home and supported medical and educational expenses in all METAdrasi shelters.
In the Just Cycling spirit of empowering innovative projects to take off, we funded expenses in one of METAdrasi's Semi-Independent Living facility for young teenagers who are alone in Greece to get the support and life skills to be able to support themselves. We are very excited to be also funding the start up of two new, Semi-Independent facilities!
In an emotional show of solidarity, a total of over 200 people from 25 countries have came together these last four years to support the unaccompanied minors in Greece. Together we sent our message to 60 countries.
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We want to continue supporting them by giving as many as possible access to safe, nurturing environments where they can grow and develop.
There are over 3,700 unaccompanied children and teenagers in Greece. Over than 2,000 remain without shelter and protection, (in camps, hotspots, police stations), almost half of whom are estimated to be homeless. They are in grave danger of abuse and exploitation.
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We are continuing the tradition of cycling the paths of Europe to help these children.
With your help, we will support METAdrasi protect and care for as many unaccompanied minors as possible.
THE IMPACT
With your help, since 2016, we are consistently supporting great initiatives that impact these childrens' lives.
Provide Shelter
Safe, appropriate environments for unaccompanied children and youth is paramount in their protection. In the Just Cycling spirit of identifying and supporting innovative alternative care solutions to take off, we have supported the innovative program of METAdrasi, the first ever bilateral program, through which5 children found a new life in Portugal. For the teenagers who will be staying in Greece, we supported METAdrasi's alternative Semi-Independent shelters, where youth can have the support and skills that will equip them to be independent and full members of their new communities. We also supported 71 children in transit shelters of METAdrasi in Greece with food, clothes, medical, psychological support, educational and recreational activities.
Equipped facilities
We equipped Unaccompanied minors' accommodation facilities in Athens, Chios, Lesvos, Samos, and Thessaloniki with furniture and lockers, so that each child has a personal space for their belongings.
Provided Meals
Finally we provided the School of Chios with 750 meals for their Unaccompanied Minors' cooking class, where children learnt to cook, bonded and most importantly received a nutritious meal.
METAdrasi has created a safety net for the support of unaccompanied children in Greece, through four integrated initiatives: Escorting Missions, Transit Accommodation Facilities (Samos, Chios, Athens), Guardianship Network & Foster Care. These initiatives ensure that the children are supported from their first point of entry and protected from trafficking networks and potential abuse or exploitation.
Just Cycling is a precious supporter we keep in our hearts. We always feel them by our side, while dealing with everyday challenges in a constantly changing environment
Laura Pappa,President of METAdrasi
Just Cycling was born in November 2015 by small team of passionate cyclists as a direct response to the stories of the hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Middle East who were desperately looking for safety from the war and devastation of their homelands.
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We decided to cross borders on our bikes to raise awareness and funds to support those children who arrived and got stranded in Greece without family.
Since more than 200 cyclists, runners, hiker drivers and Ambassadors from 23 nations joined us. All together we pledge to help these children find their path in life.
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The growth of our team reflects the need of people from around the world who have been blessed with security, opportunity, health, stamina, and resources to help the children who are not as fortunate and are at risk of being forgotten because of fear..
OUR TEAM
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