Meet the Makers
Each piece carries the fingerprint of one person — their patience, their story, their craft. Meet the refugee artisans on Lesvos whose work makes every utensil possible.
* Some names have been changed to protect the artisan's identity and family.
Iran
Hossein is from Iran and fled for his life and safety due to his faith. He is rebuilding his life in Lesvos after leaving everything. He is one of our master craftsman and he runs the bandsaw with great precision and joy. *Photo removed for security reasons.
Pakistan
Barnum came from Pakistan. He's precise in a way you can't teach. He notices the things most people would miss: the curve of a handle, the way a grain wants to be followed instead of fought. He's here for one reason: to support his wife and family back in Pakistan, and hopefully she can reunite with him in Greece. In Pakistan a monthly salary averages $100. Every piece he carves carries a little of that weight, and a little of that hope.
East Africa
Israel is meticulous. He'll sand a spoon a few more passes than anyone asked him to because he can still feel the spot that isn't right. He's from East Africa, and he's married — his wife is still back home, and he holds onto the hope that one day she can join him here in Greece. That's not a small thing — it's the reason he shows up. You can feel it in the pieces he finishes: careful, patient, made by someone who has a person in mind.
Gambia
Alex is from Gambia. He's married with two young daughters, and his oldest just started school — a big deal in their house. He is very diligent, focused, and somehow always smiling through any difficulty. He's here to give his girls a steadier start than he had, and that quiet determination shows up in everything he makes.
East Africa
Mobadek left East Africa with his wife and three kids still back home. Reuniting them here in Europe — under one roof, around one table — is his goal. He shows up to the workshop with a kind of quiet gratitude that's hard to miss, and a steadiness that doesn't waver when the work gets hard. Every spoon he finishes is one more small step toward the day his he can support his family to join him.
East Africa
Abel is the one who's always smiling. He's from East Africa, and somehow he brings the same warmth to every task — the interesting ones and the tedious ones alike. He doesn't dodge a hard job. He picks it up, gets it done, and lifts the whole room while he's at it. The workshop is a better place when Abel is in it.
East Africa
Elshaddai recently became a father for the first time. He and his wife welcomed a new baby, and you can see how much that's changed him — every shift carries a little more weight, and a little more meaning. He's from East Africa, and he's one of the most capable people in the workshop. Whatever you hand him, it comes back done right. He's building something for the three of them, one piece at a time.
