Habibi.Works - a Makerspace to Make a Difference, by Soup & Socks e.V

Soup & Socks (e.V.) is a German non-profit organisation founded in December 2015 after nearly one million people arrived at European borders seeking safety and asylum. Just 8 months after its inception, the organisation shifted from providing selective emergency aid to implementing the permanent project Habibi.Works, a grassroots organization based in the North of Greece. Today, Habibi.Works is the longest standing organization in the region, having provided uninterrupted support to 1.200 + individuals hosted in the Katsikas refugee camp. Countering traditional ‘aid’ schemes, Habibi.Works operates as an intercultural makerspace & FabLab. As a platform for education and empowerment, it connects people on the move, greek locals and international makers via 11 different workshop spaces: a wood workshop, a sewing atelier, a bike repair shop, a community kitchen, community garden, a media lab, a gym with daily sports classes, a storyteller's lab, a music studio, a library with weekly language classes, and a plastic recycling center.    

By creating, teaching, and learning, Habibi.Works allows individuals stuck in the asylum process to connect with a wider community and shape their reality. With values centered on transparency and radical inclusion, many workspaces are led by members of the refugee community, who know best what they need and how to achieve it. 

Currently, there are over 186,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in Greece, with the number of arrivals by sea and land routes having doubled between 2021 and 2022. At the same time, institutional and organizational support for people on the move is being systematically erased. Independent living programs and cash support have both been reduced, forcing people into black labour markets and undignified housing structures. In the region of Epirus, other organizations which previously met basic needs, providing clothing, dignified food, and reliable medical attention have left. As of today, Habibi.Works is one of two independent organizations accessible to residents of the Katsikas camp, and the only one within walking distance. Throughout the years, the project has adapted its activities and mode of operation to meet the ever changing reality of the community we work with. 

Besides the practical support on the ground, the organisation raises public awareness locally and internationally for both the situation and the talents of people who came to Europe as asylum-seekers, setting positive counter points against a populist, xenophobic narratives in our societies. Since the very beginning we have been completely dependent on private donations, grants and prizes, with nearly 50% of our yearly budget enabled by individual contributions. 

Habibi Works has been the proof that among many people, we can change things. We are reaching out to you to invite you to make a contribution and become part of this project. Your support will allow brilliant, hard-working people who are making an effort to build a new life, to unfold their potential.

Thanks for your Support,

 The Habibi.Works Team