Biography

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Konstantinos Maragkos is the Co-Founder of WE AfriHug project which takes place in Eastern and Western Africa during 2018 and aims at the Empowerment of the Youth through Education, Sports and Research. He is now living in Cape Coast, Ghana for the last semester of his Master at the Erasmus Mundus European Master in Tourism Management. He is the Representative of Greece for the Erasmus Mundus Association and holds the Golden Laissez-Passer for the Best Erasmus Talent in 2017 awarded by the garagErasmus Foundation. He is an activist and marathon runner, having currently completed the Sahara Marathon in the Refugee Camps of Western Sahara.

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Do you have any experience in similar project?  

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I have participated in several similar projects with the following organizations:
USB (https://www.usbngo.gr/en), AMFI (http://www.amfinternational.org/), Inter Alia (http://www.interaliaproject.com/), Concordia France (https://www.concordia.fr/), Afrika Youth Movement (http://afrikayouthmovement.org/), Sedarvp - Ghana (http://sedarvpghana.org/), Afrinype - Nigeria (http://www.afrinype.org/), Acet - Togo (http://www.acet-togo.org/new/),  UNiTED - Ghana (https://www.unitedprojects.org/). The most similar project in terms of the topic is the project "The grapes of Wrath". It aims at enabling contact between migrants and hosting communities within the EU and to foster informed decisions of potential migrants in African countries regarding the trip and life in Europe. The specific objectives of the project are to raise awareness of communities in partner countries about migrants’ stories and perceptions, foster deeper understanding about the process, reasons and psychological impact of migration, tackle needs of origin communities, thus, contributing to containing irregular migration and encourage socioeconomic development at both origin and destination countries.

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What's your motivation in taking part to this TC (Training Course)?

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I am an experienced youth worker with a great passion, dedication and consciousness to make the world a better place. I have designed, developed and implemented volunteering and educating projects mostly in Africa but also in Europe. I have been nominated as the Best Erasmus Talent 2017 for my initiative in Africa, the project WE AfriHug (https://www.weafrihug.com/) and I represent the whole Erasmus generation. My main motivation to participate in this project is my intense interest in minority groups around the world, including immigrants and refugees. During the last month, I have been involved in the project "The grapes of Wrath" in Tamale, Northern Ghana (https://web.facebook.com/GoWproject/?_rdc=1&_rdr). The project aims at enabling contact between migrants and hosting communities within the EU and to foster informed decisions of potential migrants in African countries regarding the trip and life in Europe. I had direct interaction and discussion with legal ad illegal immigrants who left their lives in Africa to move to Europe for "a better future". Moreover, I have been volunteering in the refugee camps of Western Sahara, running the 42 km solidarity marathon for the Saharawi and empowering young refugees with life skills (http://www.em-a.eu/en/home/newsdetail-ema-members-report/we-afrihug-in-western-sahara-2255.html). I am therefore extremely interested in both topics of immigrants and refugees for two reasons. First, to contribute and offer as much as I can for a safer and faster integration in their new communities and their empowerment through entrepreneurship and second to educate the ones who are afraid or are negatively influenced by the media about immigrants. Especially Greece needs this.

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What are your main expectations regarding your participation in this training course? How do you envisage to incorporate what you have learnt during the TC in your work?

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I expect to build new network and meet inspiring youth workers who share the same vision with me and are passionate about empowering less privileged people. I expect to learn new methods and enhance non-formal education practices but also to contribute with my knowledge and experience, especially from Africa. I also expect to receive knowledge in the field of youth empowerment and come up with ideas for my future plans (social entrepreneurship). Coming from a country with a massive refugee crisis, I will be able to share my knowledge with NGOs and policy makers and give my input after the end of the programme. Moreover, I plan to share the knowledge with the organization Youthnet Hellas, host workshops together and create meaningful and sustainable projects in the future.

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Please describe your knowledge and experience on entrepreneurship.

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Despite the fact that I have not set yet any business, I have shown high entrepreneurial spirit during my projects. For example, I needed to develop a crowdfunding campaign and collect money to implement the project and I was able to raise 12,000$ within 5 months. In Africa, I have helped new social enterprises to boost their products and services by giving my innovative ideas and contributions. 

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