Moria camp was built on the Greek island of Lesbos to house the influx of asylum seekers making the dangerous journey across the Aegean Sea on flimsy rubber boats to seek safety in Europe. Today, inhumane living conditions, frequent violence, and prolonged uncertainty about the future have created a mental health emergency for the refugees stranded in this island prison—with children among those most at risk.
In September, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) called for the urgent evacuation of children and other vulnerable people from the camp. At the time there were around 9,000 people living in Moria, triple its capacity. Greek authorities began moving people to other facilities this winter, but the population still hovers around 5,000.