The refugee crisis makes many people feel helpless –but Kirstin Shirling proves one person can make a difference. Join her as she speaks about her time in France’s notorious refugee camp, The Jungle.

Action in the European refugee crisis

Human migration will be the defining issue of this century. More than one million migrants and refugees crossed into Europe last year. In the face of a crisis of this magnitude, it’s easy to feel helpless – what possible impact could one person have?

As the news filled with desperate stories of people seeking safety, Kirstin Shirling felt called to action. The theatre maker arrived in the unofficial refugee camp in Calais, France, known as The Jungle, in 2015. Despite the enormity of this political and humanitarian disaster, she made it her mission to honour the humanity of every single person she encountered.

Kirstin’s story of creative altruism reveals that every small act of compassion matters.