Kimora Lee Simmons and her family are currently in Greece to bring awareness to the needs of refugees on World Refugee Day.
The entrepreneur shared a photo alongside her two daughters, Ming Lee and Aoki Lee Simmons, and son Kenzo Lee Hounsou, in Athens as they worked to help provide care to the thousands of refugees seeking asylum in Greece.
“Hello from Greece!” she captioned an Instagram photo with her family. “Over the next few days, we’ll be meeting with members of the forcibly displaced community, learning more about The Unmentionables’ work in Greece, and getting involved at their Resource Center. Looking forward to sharing our experience with you!”
In April, Simmons was named Global Ambassador of The Unmentionables, a non-profit that works to protect refugees from exploitation and trafficking.
“I am deeply grateful to support World Refugee Day and that I can expose my own children to opportunities to make true, the hands-on impact for the greater good,” Simmons said in a statement.
According to the International Rescue Committee, Greece remains a popular European entry point for migrants escaping the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa. At the moment, the country is hosting approximately 50,000 refugees, including children arriving separated from their families. More than three-quarters of migrant and refugee children attempting to reach Europe via the Central Mediterranean route face high levels of sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking, according to The Unmentionables. The sexual exploitation of male and female minors is rapidly increasing.
“It’s incredibly important to me to expose this global crisis and bring attention to the level of deep, humanitarian need that exists to support persecuted people around the world,” Simmons said. “There are so many strife-torn families and separated children that need our collective protection as fellow humans to ensure their safety – how can we turn a blind eye? These kids look a lot like mine – they are young, hopeful, beautiful souls.”
Simmons has had a growing partnership with The Unmentionables since 2017, using her fame and philanthropic prowess to bring more attention to the issues affecting refugee populations.