As the humanist chaplain at the University of Edinburgh, I get to meet some inspiring people and I was amazed to see what second-year students Alexandros Angelopoulos and Sam Kellerhals have made happen with their Project Elpis. The word elpis means ‘hope’ in Greek.

These two environmental sciences undergraduates have created solar-powered mobile phone charging units for refugees living in camps in Greece. For the refugees, a smartphone is a lifeline, but only for as long as its battery lasts.

Access to electricity can be hard to find in overcrowded camps. Young and old people gather together over individual sockets, waiting anxiously to contact home.

The solar-powered devices that Sam and Alex have developed can deliver electricity to 3600 refugees in one month and they’re helping to meet major demand for phone charging stations and off-grid electricity. You can read more about them here on the Chaplaincy website

Or visit their website where you can donate in support.

When we met Sam and Alex, Ali Neil, another of our chaplains read us this poem, by Warship Shire: you can read it in full here

It makes me proud that the University of Edinburgh has supported this initiative. Alex and Sam have big plans, so I hope you’ll want to support them in any way you can.