Discarded life jackets of migrants being converted to cash to help out the refugees

The staggering number of migrants that are arriving in to European countries from Syria, Iraq and other such locations has brought with them a new menace and, a couple of enterprising individuals have converted that into an opportunity to make some money. The migrants usually prefer the sea route and use life jackets for safety. And - once they reach land, they discard these jackets and they keep piling up on the beaches. These discarded jackets have been converted into a business by a couple of Americans.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 4 May 2016.

The two Americans are Xander Schultz (30) and fiancee Zoe Pappis (26) - they were holidaying in Europe when they decided to volunteer on the island of Lesbos to extend help to some of the thousands of refugees arriving on people smuggler boats from Turkey. It was then that they hit upon the idea of turning the abandoned life vests into a money-making initiative in order to to raise funds for those fleeing countries like war-torn Syria.
They created the "Zoe Bands" which are unisex bracelets and are created from the discarded vests of the refugees that they had worn during their dangerous journey across the Aegean Sea. Profits from the sale of these bands go towards providing refugees with basic necessities like clothing and food. (Zoe in Greek means Life.)
The bands are manufactured on Lesbos by locals, and are purchased locally to help the island's economy which has suffered since the crisis. There are a few local Greek men employed to clean up the beaches of Lesbos and another five local seamstresses who wash the vests and cut the material to make the bands.
The orange Zoe Band sells from $20.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Didi wants to move around fast and wants a solution (satire)

Lord Shiva intrigued by the writing on the walls (satire)

Moody hates hotels and feels more at home in his aircraft (satire)


Taj Mumbai welcomes Prince William and Kate, the fourth generation of British monarchy

Huge 26ft python found in Penang - could become a new a Guinness Record holder

Lok Sabha ethics committee probing Narada sting feels the videos are genuine


ISIS still holding 30 workers out of 300 kidnapped from cement factory in Dumeir

Another Bangladeshi blogger killed in Dhaka because of his views on religion

Florida hunters bag a 15-foot 800-pound massive alligator


James Cameron, writer director of Avatar, promises his fans four sequels

'Deadpool' sequel planned and in the pipeline with Ryan Reynolds

Indonesian pop star dies after being bitten by a cobra on stage