A building block for the olive oil mill in Lesbos

A few years ago—during the height of the immigrant influx to the Greek islands—Nikos and Katerina’s tavern transformed into “Home for All,” a restaurant-home where every refugee can enjoy a warm meal for free and take a break from the hopelessness of the camp life. Now, the newly opened olive oil production facility provides work for those who have made the island their permanent home.

Our small production line is already running. Along with the olive oil, which is now available in Poland, comes the message on the product labels: this olive oil was made thanks to the hard work of people who, having fled from the horrors of war and persecution, found friends and new opportunities in life.

Production is picking up speed, and every year, refugees produce more bottles of olive oil, with eager customers already lining up. To maintain the highest quality of oil, we moved the entire production process to the garden of Home Village. Now, the olives go straight from the tree to our state-of-the-art centrifuge, bypassing the delays and negative impacts of industrial pressing. We also ensure that only our olive oil runs through the machine, so we know exactly what’s in every liter produced. We know how rich it is in health-boosting polyphenols.

The final step is to fully adapt the building that houses our factory’s heart—the centrifuge. The roof, floors, and walls all need renovation to ensure nothing interferes with the production process. We urgently need your support to develop this initiative. Here, thanks to their work, refugees are regaining the dignity they lost during their long journey.