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Outlook: My Greek Restaurant Became a Refuge

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Melinda McRostie, restaurateur, Lesbos, Greece

18/02/2016 GMT

My Greek Restaurant Became a Refuge

BBC World Service - Outlook, My Greek Restaurant Became a Refuge

The Greek restaurant owner caring for thousands of migrants

Melinda McRostie owns a restaurant on the Greek island of Lesbos. She has found herself at the centre of efforts to look after thousands of migrants arriving in the local harbour.

In November 2014 Melinda McRostie was called by the local port police to help some migrants who had washed up on the shore. The first boat was followed by hundreds of others - and, as the thousands of migrants continued to struggle up from the harbour in front of her restaurant, Melinda felt compelled to help. Now she is at the centre of a voluntary relief team based in her village. 

During the four-year siege of his home city in the 1990s the Bosnian playwright, film and theatre director Haris Pasovic made sure the world knew that Sarajevo was still alive. He brought international artists to play at the festivals he organised - raising the morale of local people who often felt they had been forgotten. Over the past two decades his EastWest Theatre Company has toured Bosnia and the world, with productions focusing on everything from the danger of bigotry to the joy of football. 

Dr Ganesh Rakh is an Indian doctor who's on a mission to change negative attitudes towards girls in his home-country. He feels so strongly that girls are just as good as boys that he waives his fee if a girl is born in his hospital and even throws a party for them.  

Issaq Ali lives in a refugee camp in Djibouti - but Issaq has a fascinating past, he used to be an international footballer playing for Somalia's national team. He's even met David Beckham. Issaq talks to Outlook about how he fell in love with the game. 

(Photo: Melinda McRostie in her restaurant kitchen. Credit: Andrea DiCenzo)

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