Integration Through Permaculture

We hope that wherever you are in the world, the gentle warmth of spring has given you feelings of renewal and a lust for new beginnings. Here at Sporos we are very much into new beginnings on all fronts! 

Over the past three months, your contributions have played a pivotal role in driving our mission forward and bringing about positive change in our community. We are now launching 2 new, ongoing projects and we have more in the pipeline that will take us well into 2025. 

We are delighted to share some of the recent developments and achievements that your support has helped make possible. One of the highlights of this quarter was the introduction of "Family Days at Sporos," a series of events aimed at providing families with opportunities to connect with nature through play and exploration. For the first time we had children as young as 2 years old in our farm, doing a variation of messy play with natural materials. We named it “nature play” and it was so successful that we are considering to creating two different groups. Witnessing the joy and wonder on the faces of children as they engaged in nature-based activities, reaffirmed to us the importance of creating spaces where people can reconnect with the natural world, no matter the age. If you ask us, the younger the better! We were so overwhelmed with satisfaction as we received so many thank you messages after the event!

Additionally, your generosity has enabled us to launch the Ecocamp Project. The Ecocamp initiative, aims to establish an organic vegetable garden and educational centre within the Lesvos refugee camp. This project addresses several pressing issues faced by refugees in the camp, including, lack of green spaces and access to education, as well as education on important issues such as recycling and upcycling materials. We believe that the project's emphasis on holistic sustainability, inclusivity, and empowerment will make it truly impactful. More on that in the next quarter when we will be well into the first days of launching. 

I am also thrilled to share that our team has been strengthened by the addition of new volunteers who bring fresh perspectives and energy to our projects. We also had a new community volunteer, Mohammed, from Afghanistan, a trained nurse who was absolutely lovely with kids and just an amazing person overall. We will miss him greatly as he recently received his papers and left the island. Our volunteer’s dedication and passion for our cause have been truly inspiring, and we are grateful for the positive impact they continue to make. 

Apart from helping us in our planting frenzy at the Sporos farm so we can have a substantial harvest this summer season, they also designed and ran activities with children and adults at our EcoHub garden on Spring Equinox, which is an important festivity for a lot of different cultures of people living in the camp. The activities fostered a sense of community and connection with nature. It was heartwarming to see individuals of all ages coming together to celebrate the changing of seasons and engage in meaningful rituals and exchange traditions.

Another important project we launched this Spiring was an aeroponics STEM project in local schools islandwide. We take vertical tower gardens in primary schools and together with the teachers there, we create observation projects to compare aeroponics to normal crops. This project aims to provide hands-on learning on sustainability principles, and ecology. Overall, the project provides a complete learning experience that fosters curiosity, critical thinking, and environmental stewardship. We are planning to do 4 visits for each school until the end of the year and we have already booked 10 schools. 

Of course, none of this would be possible without the ongoing support from you. Your commitment to our mission has allowed us to overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. As we continue our journey, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation for your generosity. Watch this space as we are renewing, regenerating and re-wilding our way forward!