Who we are

Ariadni Lesvos is a charity based on Lesbos, Greece.
We create a place where people can come together, learn, exchange ideas and develop new perspectives for their lives. Our work focuses particularly on women and children.

Our approach

We believe that support should not only respond to immediate needs.
It should also create opportunities to learn, participate and become more independent.
Our work is guided by a clear focus on education, practical support, participation and personal development. Within this framework, our programmes are practical and adapted to the people who come to Ariadni.
We listen, learn from experience and develop our programmes further where this helps us achieve our aims.

Ariadni Lesvos and Hoffnung leben

Ariadni Lesvos and the German organisation Hoffnung leben e.V. work closely together, while remaining independent organisations.
Ariadni Lesvos develops and runs its own programmes on Lesvos.
These programmes are supported by different donors and foundations, including Hoffnung leben e.V.
The Let’s Talk programme was jointly developed by Hoffnung leben and Ariadni.
Ariadni organises and delivers the programme locally on behalf of Hoffnung leben.

Learn more about our work with → Hoffnung leben

The story behind Ariadni Lesvos

The work that led to Ariadni Lesvos began seven years before the organisation itself was founded.
It started as a private initiative and was later continued by Hoffnung leben e.V.
A German documentary by public broadcaster WDR followed the development of this work on Lesbos, from the first activities and personal commitment to the beginnings of a more structured approach.
Ariadni Lesvos was founded shortly afterwards to continue and further develop this work locally.

Watch → the WDR documentary

A place to feel welcome

Ariadni is more than a series of individual projects.
We create a place where people feel welcome, make connections, learn from one another and develop their own ideas. Many of our activities are developed together with the people who come to us.

Our team

Ariadni works with a small and stable team.
We deliberately bring together people from different generations and with different experiences.
Our team members have worked together for a long time.
This allows us to learn together and from one another, develop our work together and provide continuity for the people who come to Ariadni.
We believe that different generations bring different perspectives and experiences.
This is particularly important in our work with women and families, where relationships between generations play an important role.

Our team’s stability creates stability for the people we work with.