After first having submitted their solutions to the European Union Social Innovation Competition in January 2016, the three winners have been announced and awarded a cash prize of €50,000 each for their solutions to refugee and migrant integration in Europe.
Social Innovation in Europe 2016: And the winners are…
…Cucula, The Machine to be Another, and Project Virtuous Triangle.
It has been an evening of suspense and toasts here at the Albert Hall in Brussels, Belgium. After first having submitted their solutions to the EU Social Innovation Competition in January 2016, the three winners have been announced and awarded a cash prize of €50,000 each for their solutions to refugee and migrant integration in Europe. Ida Jeng from REFUNITE was in the Jury that carefully considered and selected the three winning initiatives, among 1,095 applications submitted. All participants, winners and members of the Jury contributed to a successful and exciting competition, one that will lead to brighter, and more “integrated futures”.
Here is what these projects consist of in a nutshell:
- Cucula provides educational programs and hands-on workshops for refugees and migrants in Berlin focusing on furniture production. Cucula also offers language classes, job search, legal counseling, and other services to help refugees adjust to their new life in Germany.
- The Machine to Be Another is a Spanish virtual reality technology to put you in the shoes of a refugee and give you a first-hand experience of what it is like to be forced to flee from your home.
- Project Virtuous Triangle is a Turkish initiative matching Syrian school children with young Turkish students and University degree coaches. Through this, refugee children receive tutoring and mentoring and can learn the culture and language of their host country.
The evening marks the culmination of the 2016 EU Social innovation Competition and is a testament to how social entrepreneurs and refugees throughout Europe are working together to build better, stronger, more inclusive societies.
27th October 2016.
