Second Tree

Second Tree We challenge biases, change refugee narratives and build community through education, anti-bias training and community engagement – since 2016.

«The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now.»

Second Tree takes its name from this proverb. Our belief is that it is never too late to take action and work towards making a positive difference in the world. We work to plant second chances for those who need them. We aim to create a society in which fundamental rights, equitable access to resources and services, an

d a healthy environment are granted to all and everyone. A society in which all individuals are provided with the tools they need to progress their lives in safety and with dignity.

Το Σάββατο 23 Μαΐου, ο Mohammed Lamin, ένας νέος άνδρας που ζούσε στο Καμπ Προσφύγων Κατσικάς, σκοτώθηκε σε τροχαίο και ...
04/06/2026

Το Σάββατο 23 Μαΐου, ο Mohammed Lamin, ένας νέος άνδρας που ζούσε στο Καμπ Προσφύγων Κατσικάς, σκοτώθηκε σε τροχαίο και εγκαταλήφθηκε. Η κηδεία του θα πραγματοποιηθεί σήμερα (Πέμπτη, 4 Ιουνίου 2026) στις 17:00 στο Κοιμητήριο Αγίου Νικολαου Κοπάνων στο Περάμα.

Ο Mohammed ήταν τραγουδιστής, αδελφός και πατέρας – ένας άνθρωπος με όλη τη ζωή μπροστά του.

Το μόνο μέλος της οικογένειάς του στην Ευρώπη είναι ο αδελφός του,ο Tony, ο οποίος ήρθε από το Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο για να τον θάψει. Καλούμε τους ανθρώπους στα Ιωάννινα να παρευρεθούν στην κηδεία, να συμπαρασταθούν στο πλευρό του Tony και να του προσφέρουν στήριξη. Κανείς δεν πρέπει να θάβει τον αδελφό του μόνος.

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On Saturday, 23 May, Mohammed Lamin, a young man living in Katsikas refugee camp, was killed in a hit-and-run accident. His funeral will take place today (Thursday, 4 June 2026) at 5:00 pm at Perama Cemetery.

Mohammed was a singer, a brother, and a father – someone with his whole life ahead of him.

The only family member he has in Europe is his brother Tony, who has come from the UK to bury him. We are calling on people in Ioannina to attend the funeral, stand with Tony, and offer their support. No one should have to bury their brother alone.

Fai pagare la pizza allo Stato! 🍕Per bambini profughi come Ali (15 anni) e Havva (11 anni), entrambi afghani, il tuo 5x1...
03/05/2026

Fai pagare la pizza allo Stato! 🍕

Per bambini profughi come Ali (15 anni) e Havva (11 anni), entrambi afghani, il tuo 5x1000 può significare farsi nuovi amici, andare in gita fuori dalle mura del campo profughi, e mangiare più pizza di quanta tre bambini ne possano digerire (anche se qui potremmo discutere): tutto questo grazie ai nostri Youth Programme.

Il 5x1000 non ti costa niente! È solo una quota delle tasse che devi comunque pagare, e che puoi devolvere a un’organizzazione no-profit di tua scelta.

Dal 14 maggio potrai modificare il tuo modulo 730: non dimenticare di aggiungere Second Tree! Abbiamo già la lista delle pizze da ordinare: ci serve solo la tua firma. https://secondtree.org/it/5x1000/🔗

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Let the state cover the pizza! 🍕

For refugee kids like Ali (15) and Havva (11) from Afghanistan, your 5x1000 could mean new friendships, trips beyond the isolated refugee camp walls, and more pizza than 3 kids can handle (debatable) – through our Youth Programmes.

5x1000 doesn't cost you a thing! It's just a share of taxes you already pay, redirected to a non-profit of your choice.

Your Modulo 730 is editable from 14th May – don't forget to add Second Tree! The pizza order is ready; we just need your signature. https://secondtree.org/it/5x1000/🔗

Three years without our Fatmata. She was 23 when a policeman shot and killed her. She would be 26 now. Her husband, Abu ...
19/04/2026

Three years without our Fatmata. She was 23 when a policeman shot and killed her. She would be 26 now. Her husband, Abu Bakar, used to call her "my everything"; now he calls for justice in her name: .

On the morning this picture was taken, Fatmata said to Abu, "Now all doors seem closed, but another door will open for us. The future will be good." But Igor Markov, a North Macedonian policeman, shot her. She died in Abu's arms, calling his name.

In the three years she has been gone, we’ve held her as she was that morning: certain, hopeful, in love.

For the first time, a court has said what we have known since the 19th of April, 2023: what happened to Fatmata was a crime. The officer who killed her has been found guilty, but the sentence was suspended. Her family will take the fight on, all the way to the European Court of Human Rights if they must.

Today, Mariatu, Bintia, Fatmata, Yankare, Cariatu and the rest of the family are visiting her grave in Freetown, Sierra Leone, mourning the loss of their daughter, sister, friend.

Abu once told us his only wish was that the world would know. Mariatu asked that the world not forget her. So, if you want to, leave a message for her family in the comments – they read every one.

We miss you, Fatmata.

Ten years ago today, Giovanni packed his car and drove to Katsikas refugee camp. He didn't have a plan. He didn't think ...
15/04/2026

Ten years ago today, Giovanni packed his car and drove to Katsikas refugee camp. He didn't have a plan. He didn't think he would create a humanitarian organisation, Second Tree. ⁠
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On the five-year anniversary, he wrote that helping others was "The best way to be selfish".⁠
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Today, on the tenth anniversary, he's published a new piece for Il Post – trying to answer a harder version of the same question. What happens when the cost of caring about people becomes impossible to ignore, and you keep caring anyway?⁠
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The full piece is on Il Post: https://www.ilpost.it/2026/04/15/fontana-sono-un-volontario-sono-piu-felice/?homepagePosition=6

Igor Markov, the policeman who shot and killed Fatmata, is guilty.⁠⁠This is the verdict of the appellate court. However....
31/03/2026

Igor Markov, the policeman who shot and killed Fatmata, is guilty.⁠
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This is the verdict of the appellate court. However. His sentence is one year in prison – suspended. Unless he commits another crime in the next three years, he will never go to prison. A 23-year-old innocent woman is dead, our Fatmata, and the man who killed her goes home.⁠
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Condemned, but effectively acquitted.⁠
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When Fatmata was shot and killed by Igor Markov, Abu Bakar held his dying wife and was then lied to, handcuffed, and locked away – not even allowed to say goodbye. When the police offered him to be let go and just forget everything, he said no: "I want truth and justice for my wife."⁠
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Because of Abu Bakar's courage – and the strength of Mariatu, Fatmata's mother, as well as her sisters – there was an investigation. There was a trial. When the first verdict acquitted the policeman, they didn't stop. Now, for the first time, a court has said what we have known since April 19th, 2023: what happened to Fatmata was a crime.⁠
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That matters. It matters enormously. No one can say this didn't happen. No one can say it wasn't wrong.⁠
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But guilty – and free to go home? He was not even banned from working in the police or using guns. There will be an appeal to the Supreme Court, and if the sentence will not be just, Fatmata’s family has already said that they are resolute: they want to take this to the European Court of Human Rights.⁠
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For now, we wanted you – the thousands of people who have followed Fatmata’s story, sent messages to Fatmata's family, and refused to let her be forgotten – to know.⁠
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As Abu said: "The fight for my wife's memory, the fight for Justice for Fatmata, is the fight for all of the people who are forced to travel and don't have a voice."⁠
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16/02/2026

📣 FINAL CALL: only two days left to vote!

At Second Tree, community is what we value the most. We work to build inclusive spaces in which nobody feels ‘the other’, valuing each individual in their complexity, and always putting people – all equal – at the centre.✨

From our partnership coordinator Mattia, to our little students in the Scouts Programme…from our new Self-Advocacy students Ibrahim & Moheldin, to our Programmes Manager Juliette… follow their example & don’t go…🏃‍♀️RUN to vote for Second Tree’s video for Project For Awesome 2026!

Here’s how:
1️⃣Check out our video, here: https://projectforawesome.com/videos/vote-for-second-tree-project-for-awesome-26
2️⃣Sign in to vote & check your inbox to confirm your email address.
3️⃣ Go back to the website & hit the big VOTE button! ✅

By voting, you contribute to continue running our programmes – such as Self Advocacy – inside refugee camps in Greece, in 2026… and beyond!😎

Every click counts – let’s do this! 🌱💪

12/02/2026

Stop scrolling and start voting! 🗳️

Our video for Project for Awesome 2026 is now live, showcasing our Self-Advocacy classes inside refugee camps.

Vote today to help make sure refugees are equipped to fight for their rights, throughout 2026 and beyond: https://projectforawesome.com/videos/vote-for-second-tree-project-for-awesome-26

If that didn’t convince you, here are some behind-the-scenes bloopers from the filming of our video! 🎥

10/02/2026

SOUND ON! 🔊

"You know who you are, and you know your value." – Kamal, on what he learnt from Second Tree's Self-Advocacy course.

This year, we've entered Project for Awesome's fundraiser with our Self-Advocacy programme. ✨

Designed and run entirely by us in refugee camps in Greece, our Self-Advocacy training helps refugees understand their rights, communicate with people in power, and escalate problems strategically – giving them the tools to advocate for themselves.

In the video, teacher Mima walks through how the programme works, while Omar, Sesay, and Kamal share what Self-Advocacy has meant for them – from the challenges they faced arriving in Greece to the confidence they now have in their own agency, skills, and independence. 🌱

Watch our video and vote for Second Tree! Winning means we can keep Self-Advocacy running through 2026 and beyond.

Vote here: https://projectforawesome.com/videos/vote-for-second-tree-project-for-awesome-26 💛

They say integration has no age limit. 🫂⁠⁠If you've never heard that expression before, it's because we just made it up ...
04/02/2026

They say integration has no age limit. 🫂⁠
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If you've never heard that expression before, it's because we just made it up – inspired by an invitation from the elderly community of our local Greek village, Loggades!
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Along with kids from our youth programmes in Katsikas and Agia Eleni refugee camps, we joined them to make arts and crafts, cut cake and welcome in the New Year together – an authentic Greek affair.⁠
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Vasilis, the stern-faced bus driver, smiled as kids bounced behind their teachers in single file, towards a group of beaming Yiayias (grannies) welcoming us to their space. 🚌⁠
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Sitting down in little groups, we welcomed each elderly arrival with a high-pitched "KALI CHRONIA" (happy new year)! The Grandmas replied by stuffing us full of cake and fussing over us all.⁠
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After a round of speeches, a red-faced Barzan – nudged on by his pals – gingerly rose from his seat, turned to his aged audience and announced, "Efcharistó!" (thank you!) to roaring applause.⁠
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11-year-old Havva then teamed up with 80-year-old Despoina to craft crowns and decorations together. 👑⁠
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For a few hours, everyone had someone to teach and someone to learn from. Two isolated communities coming together – kids who rarely leave the refugee camp, and elders with traditions to pass on and love to spare.⁠
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Donate today, to help us continue replacing isolation with connection: https://secondtree.org/donate/

A special Efkharistó (thank you) to Markoula and the Municipality of Ioannina for introducing us to our new friends!

In 2016, some volunteers walked into Katsikas refugee camp and made a simple decision: to show up.🌳 That was the start o...
20/01/2026

In 2016, some volunteers walked into Katsikas refugee camp and made a simple decision: to show up.

🌳 That was the start of Second Tree.

But what we found changed how we thought about what 'doing something' really means.

Since then, we've learnt that real community isn't built by 'helping' people – it's built with them. It's a two-way street: the way society sees refugees shapes what's possible for them, and the way refugees see themselves and their new community shapes what's possible for everyone.

🤝 We're trying to build something where everyone contributes, and everyone has a say. It doesn't happen on its own – it takes work, and it takes people.

Maybe this is your first step! Join our team: https://secondtree.org/volunteer/

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