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The consequences of COVID-19 had a disastrous effect on refugee children and youth all over the world. In Greece, many refugee students lost access to essential services and the majority of refugee youth had little or no access to education.

In March 2020, the Horizon team quickly adapted its program to an online-only format. In order to do this, a number of obstacles needed to be overcome, especially as many refugee youths do not have access to even the most basic equipment and materials required to engage with the classes and the projects.

Our solution to this problem was the Horizon Toolkits (for individuals) and Toolboxes (for shelters, 10-25 students), paired with a seiries of online classes. These Toolkits and Toolboxes - developed in partnership with MIT D-Lab - are a simple, yet very effective method of enabling refugee youth to participate in classes from their own residences, which was essential, as for much of 2020 and 2021, movement is restricted or impossible.

The Toolboxes include materials and equipment for students to:

• Generate ideas, and try basic prototyping (sketch modeling)

• Create a facemask (fabric, patterns and equipment)

• Learn simple technical drawing techniques

• Build introductory electronics projects

• Create a phone-stand out of wood

• Create stop-motion videos

They said about Faros’ Toolboxes:

“The Toolbox is an original idea! During the pandemic it successfully encouraged and motivated our youth.”

Dania, Educator, Greek Red Cross shelter for unaccompanied children