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02 Mar 18
Odeon Entertainment Greece enabled our children to visit Odeon Escape Cinema (former Ster) and travel into the movies’ world of imagination and dreams.
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02 Mar 18
Thank you Mia Kollia for our first journalism workshop. Raising awareness and giving a voice to our children is an essential component of our work. We are looking forward to our next class.
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22 Feb 18
P&G provided hygiene and cleaning products to The HOME Project children and supported us in constantly improving our quality of care.
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20 Feb 18
Thank you Οnassis Cultural Centre Athens for giving the opportunity tο The HOME Project children to attend the final rehearsal of Akram Khan's performance "XENOS". It was a beautiful journey into his enticing world: kathak, contemporary dance, rousing rhythms and world musical traditions. Looking forward to our next visit.
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15 Feb 18
We were very happy and honored to have with us George Logothetis, Chairman and CEO of our founding sponsor The Libra Group at The HOME Project shelter for girls operated in collaboration with Melissa Network and Kasapi Hellas. He is the person who enabled us in less than a year to move from inception, to set up and from set up to operations. Proving in action that solutions do exist, and offering a safe home and equal opportunities to more than 200 children, while creating 120 jobs for Greek and refugee youth.
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13 Feb 18
During the PeaceJam Greece event on "Step Up and Lead!" our Scientific Supervisor, Maria Kaldani conducted a workshop for high school and university students on the challenges that lone refugee children face and ways to address them. We were extremely inspired by the inspiring ideas that our young participants had and by their eagerness to find the most efficient ways to implement them.
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02 Feb 18
“We must apply our efforts to the construction of a more just and humane world. And I want to declare emphatically that such a world is possible."
The Argentinian Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel honored us with a visit at one of The HOME Project shelters operated by Melissa Networkin collaboration with Kasapi Hellas. We want to thank him for his kindness, his wisdom and his courageous defense of human rights. -
23 Jan 18
“The number of arrivals of unaccompanied minors is constantly increasing: 10,500 unaccompanied minors have been officially registered since the beginning of 2016. It is very urgent to provide adequate accommodation for these children; integration starts at the point of entry…. The ultimate purpose for children that will stay is that they will be able to integrate into the job market”.
Thank you U.S. Helsinki Commission for giving a voice to The HOME Project and addressing the issue of unaccompanied minors in Europe in a discussion at United States Capitol with Migration Policy Institute. -
15 Jan 18
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
The HOME Project children are celebrating the birthday of the most visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King. During their English lesson at the HP offices, they are researching his life, his values and his tireless fights for civil rights, equality and peace. -
11 Jan 18
We are grateful to Fulbright Foundation Greece for enabling a collaboration with Trauma Specialist Dr. Judith Bachay Ph.D., 2017-2018 Fulbright Specialist to Greece, who spent a month with The HOME Project team and is now an integral part of our community. Judith provided staff training and self-care support and developed trauma informed guidelines for mental health interventions in the Home Project shelters.
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05 Jan 18
Thank you Hara Ntalla, Clinical Director of the Seleni Institute for a training and capacity building workshop for the staff working at the Home Project supported shelters on working with children, adolescents and adults who have experienced trauma.
A big thank you to Social Dynamo, a joint initiative of Bodossaki Foundation - Ίδρυμα Μποδοσάκη & συνΑθηνά of the Δήμος Αθηναίων for the capacity building of the civil society, for hosting our event. -
21 Dec 17
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20 Dec 17
“Now I can breathe, because I can dream again”
The second cycle of the Youth to Youth Program in collaboration with ACS Athens (American Community Schools) has been successfully completed. A very important collaboration offering our children the ability to make dreams again about their future. -
12 Dec 17
“All the world is a stage.”
So proud of our children playing in the theatrical play «Το Ταξίδι».
Thank you Εθνικό Θέατρο for giving the opportunity to The HOME Project kids to heal by expressing their creativity and imagination. -
11 Dec 17
“I am a citizen, not of Athens, or Greece, but of the world.” - Socrates
We were very happy to launch our first Youth to Youth e-learning incubator in collaboration with ACS Athens (American Community Schools) at The HOME Project “Socrates” shelter operated by Medin.
We have created a smart classroom in our shelter where kids can connect with ACS students and teachers and receive educational support, mentorship and training. -
07 Dec 17
Thank you IKEA Foundation. Our ninth The HOME Project shelter is now ready to accept children. One more shelter will be operational within the next month increasing our capacity to 10 shelters for 200 children while creating more than 120 jobs.
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06 Dec 17
The HOME Project Social Protection Unit conducting training to staff from Ηλιακτίδα ΑΜΚΕ one of our new partners on the ground.
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05 Dec 17
Today is our birthday. The HOME Project becomes one year old. We are grateful for the creation of a great community of support that has enabled us in our first 12 months of operation to increase our provision to care for more than 200 children in secure environments that give support, protection, education and social integration services while generating more than 120 jobs for refugees and Greek youth. With the winter approaching we will be providing emergency support to the most vulnerable populations on the islands. All together we can be much more efficient in addressing this crisis. Learn more on how you can join our community today.
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30 Nov 17
LSP team joined The HOME Project offices and thank you Ροδούλα ζύμες & γλυκά for the delicious treat
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28 Nov 17
#GivingTuesday is celebrated the Tuesday after US Thanksgiving. It connects individuals, communities and organizations around the world to show our collective power to make a difference, celebrate and encourage giving.
Thank you Nationalgiving Hellenic Student Association (NHSA) of America for fundraising to support The HOME Project mission.
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24 Nov 17
On Thanksgiving Day we are grateful to all our supporters, partners on the ground and members of The HOME Project community for enabling us to provide a home and protection to children in need.
The first girl has arrived in one of the new HOME Project shelters supported by IKEA Foundation. The shelter’s name is "Pugad" which means beehive in fillipino and is operated by two great women led organizations Melissa Network in collaboration with Kasapi Hellas. -
22 Nov 17
We were very happy to welcome our first children with delicious food and music, in one of the new The HOME Project shelters operated by Ηλιακτίδα ΑΜΚΕ - Iliaktida Amke.
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17 Nov 17
Thank you IMPACTJUNKIE for spending four days with us, installing software in the new laptops and training shelter staff on personal hygiene matters and self care practices.
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16 Nov 17
Today is Universal Children's Day and as every other day refugee children must be treated as children first and foremost.
DID YOU KNOW: According to latest official data 9,673 children have been officially registered entering Greece since the beginning of 2016. 9,033 (93% boys) and 640 (7% girls), 567 (6% of the total population) <14 years old.
Of those 2,016 children are currently WITHOUT A HOME, outside of any protection system living in the streets, police stations, detention centers and overcrowded camps with no access to basic care, services, nor any information on their rights.
You can now help them reach one of our HOMES -
13 Nov 17
The HOME Project children and staff ran at the Athens Authentic Marathon 2017 together with American Community Schools - ACS Athens students to support the Youth to Youth program.
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08 Nov 17
Thank you the F Martini and Smashbox Cosmetics Greece for all your love and for creating a happy and healing beautiful environment for The HOME Project girls.
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06 Nov 17
Community building leads to understanding, acceptance, tolerance, respect and love- core elements of any healing environment. A big thank you to all of our volunteers who helped us with food Boroume, painting Ζωγράφοι σε δράση για τα ΠΑΙΔΙΑ, gardening and all different activities Time to be Welcome, #librainterns2018 Libra Internship Program and all of our friends for making this day so special for our children, the neighborhood, the shelter staff from Medin and for all of us here at The HOME Project
Creating a community of support around our kids is the only sustainable path to healing, integration and progress.
Looking forward to seeing you all again and for those who didn’t make it there will be another event very soon. Stay tuned! -
02 Nov 17
Our Executive Director Sofia Kouvelaki with Anthony Wonke, EMMY and triple BAFTA winner director and executive producer of the Oscar nominated short documentary "Watani: My Homeland" at the inauguration event of Building Bridges Charity Film Fest at the Manama Cultural Hall in Bahrain.
Thank you Building Bridges Film Fest for your invaluable support to The HOME Project and for helping us create a bridge back to childhood for #lone #refugee #children. We are grateful to have you joining our global community of support -
01 Nov 17
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31 Oct 17
The HOME Project shared its work with 400 students from schools in Bahrain at the Building Bridges Charity Film Fest at the Children and Mother's Welfare Society event.
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26 Oct 17
Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ presented The HOME Project community and the first results of its work, as well as addressed the issue of unaccompanied refugee children.
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25 Oct 17
Stay tuned for more posts depicting everyday life in our shelters and sharing our children’s voice:
“I am Kurdish. I know how to do Kurdish dancing and I can make Kurdish food too. My brother is here also but he is in another shelter.”
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18 Oct 17
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17 Oct 17
At the UCL Institute of Advanced Studies, The HOME Project is participating at the workshop "Children in Crisis: Post WW2 and Relevance for Today" exchanging best practices of on the field experience and historical studies on child protection bringing together knowledge, understanding and action.
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17 Oct 17
According to the latest UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency UNICEF, and IOM - UN Migration Agency data since the beginning of 2017 70% of refugee children reaching Europe are unaccompanied. In Greece at the moment more than 1,800 children are currently outside of any protection system living in the streets, police stations, detention centers and overcrowded camps with no access to basic care, services, nor any information on their rights. Our mission at The HOME Project is to move these children to the safety of our HOMES and to provide them with support, protection, education and social integration services. Some of the lucky ones have reached our shelters, but much more needs to be done. You can now support children travelling and arriving in Europe all alone by clicking here.
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15 Oct 17
On 13th of October 2017 Grant Thornton Greece & LAVEyou organized an amazing day of fitness for The HOME Project kids, consumed energy for a good cause and transformed calories into money through sport activities.
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11 Oct 17
We are proud of and grateful for our collaboration with ACS Athens (American Community Schools). Last weekend The HOME Project children met with ACS Athens students and faculty at the school to plan the second Youth to Youth Program.
The communication between the children and the staff was truly inspiring and we can’t wait for another year of learning, creativity and fun.
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05 Oct 17
Building a relationship with an animal enhances the quality of our lives. Ponies are usually called "divine mirrors" as they reflect our emotions. Thank you United Pony Caravan for making our children feel like children again. Looking forward to the next ride!
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02 Oct 17
The HOME Project announces €1 million donation from The IKEA Foundation. IKEA donation promises five more shelters, increasing capacity to 200 children and over 120 jobs (Link).
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25 Sep 17
A new collaboration starts with the Time to be Welcome volunteers who helped the HOME Project team to transfer and store newly donated equipment for the 5 new shelters.
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22 Sep 17
“The things that unite us are much more powerful and potent than the things that divide us." David Simas, CEO of the Obama Foundation shares his experience from the visit to the HOME Project. He gives a voice to the refugee girls of the HOME Project shelters and highlights the importance of community building.
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21 Sep 17
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19 Sep 17
The HOME Project is participating at the Concordia Annual Summit: Shaping the Future of Global Collaboration giving a voice to those unseen and unheard from all over the world.
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17 Sep 17
Tech Talent School and Microsoft Hellas are teaching digital skills and coding helping us empower our kids
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14 Sep 17
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12 Sep 17
Greek National Children's Hospital Paidon Agia Sofia and the Program "Health for All" is providing medical support, examining and vaccinating more than 100 children of The HOME Project shelters.
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01 Sep 17
Faber-Castell USA Premium Children's Art supports and enables art therapy workshops and many fun and creative activities for lone refugee children living in our shelters under the guidance of Seleni Institute
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29 Aug 17
Our girls getting ready for the new school year. The HOME Project in collaboration with high quality academic institutes like ACS- American Community Schools provides immediate access to education to its children. This is in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 28a).
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24 Aug 17
The HOME Project's Technical Advisor overlooking at a small oasis located in downtown Athens. This space will be developed and become a gym area for our kids.
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18 Aug 17
On this year's World Humanitarian Day, we think of all the innocent children caught in worldwide conflicts and we reaffirm our commitment to advocate for them.
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17 Aug 17
Thank you Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) D-Lab and Faros for offering this 6 days, hands-on practical skills workshop to The HOME Project children.
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10 Aug 17
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08 Aug 17
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04 Aug 17
A HOME inspired painting by one of our volunteers. Find out alternative ways through which you can get involved and support us.
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02 Aug 17
More than 1,250 unaccompanied refugee children are scattered all over Greece without a HOME. Only few have reached The HOME Project shelters and have managed to escape the inhumane living conditions they had been forced to live in, but more needs to be done. Please get involved and help us, help them.
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01 Aug 17
A group of volunteers from the Greek America Foundation transformed a soccer pitch in central Athens to a place of friendly competition and fun for boys from The HOME Project shelters.
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31 Jul 17
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25 Jul 17
According to the Human Rights Watch, refugee children in Lesbos are being incorrectly identified as adults and are not provided the necessary resources that under aged refugees need and have a right to.
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24 Jul 17
Painters from Painters in Action for Children along with the help of volunteers, transform a shelter into a HOME by filling the walls with paintings and welcome banners written in various languages.
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21 Jul 17
Our children visit The Benaki Museum and experience Greek culture and history first hand.
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19 Jul 17
A group of volunteers from the US and Canada help our kids truly experience being kids once again. Along with the team, the children participate in arts and crafts exercises and enjoy their summer days.
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12 Jul 17
A group of volunteers from London help build a new garden for one of The HOME Project shelters. The team also organised Enlgish and vocational training lessons as well as therapy sessions for our children.
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30 Jun 17
UNHCR GREECE donates 180 boxes of clothes for girls, boys and babies, and kitchen equipment for The HOME Project shelters.
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27 Jun 17
Storytellers from the Festival LEA – Sol Latino visited and enchanted our children with tales.
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22 Jun 17
Faber-Castell donates art material for the children of The HOME Project shelters.
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19 Jun 17
With the guidance and support of the Seleni Institute, our children attended their first art therapy workshops at The HOME Project shelters. The creation of healing environments within our shelters is a key element of our work.
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15 Jun 17
Our children successfully completed their Youth to Youth Program in collaboration with ACS Athens (American Community Schools). Through this program, our children participated in English, Greek and Maths as well as sports and art classes.
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13 Jun 17The inspirational David Simas, CEO of the Obama Foundation, visited our shelter for unaccompanied minor girls and babies during his stay in Athens for the Concordia Summit Europe 2017.
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03 Jun 17
Refugee Open Ware organized a robotics workshop, led by Asem Hasna, at a HOME Project shelter operated by Medin in collaboration with ARSIS and Together for Children. The children worked in teams and built their own robots.
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31 May 17
Girls from our shelter participated in the Youth Spark Live Event, "Empowering employment opportunities for women,“ organized by Found.ation in collaboration with Microsoft.
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20 May 17
A team of doctors and dentists examined and vaccinated all the children living in The HOME Project shelters through the “Health for All” program.
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18 May 17
At least 300,000 unaccompanied and separated children have been recorded in 2015-2016, a rise of 500% since 2010 -2011. Of these minors, 75% become victims of slavery, exploitation and engage into illegal actions in attempt to fulfill their dreams.
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15 May 17
According to the latest EKKA and UNICEF report there are more than 1,013 lone refugee children in Greece without a home. Of those 234 children are in detention with no access to basic care, legal support and information on their rights. The numbers of lone refugee children arriving in Europe have been increasing throughout 2017. They are at risk of violence, sexual abuse, exploitation and organ trafficking.The need for a safe Home is now more urgent than ever.
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13 May 17
“More than 1,000 children are suffering from physical and psychological violence. Our mission is to support and educate them.” Sofia Kouvelaki, Executive Director of the HOME Project, shares the stories of invisible children at TEDxAthens 2017.
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09 May 17
Nearly 250 refugees feared dead after two migrant boats sink in Mediterranean, according to a United Nations report. A baby was found among the bodies that washed up on the coasts of Libya. So far in 2017, more than 1,300 people have drowned in the Mediterranean trying to reach Europe.
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08 May 17
Allied Aid, a US-based organization, created edible gardens at two of our shelters. The organization also donated 400 pairs of socks and 60 pairs of slippers for the children in the shelters.
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03 May 17
The organization Boroume donates a large amount of food and cleaning supplies for one of the HOME Project shelters.
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24 Apr 17
The organizations Carry the Future and Desmos make a large donation of food supplies for our shelters.
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21 Apr 17
The HOME Project team in Athens received 84 letters from students at Valencia High School in California, USA. The letters, addressed to the children living in the HOME Project Shelters, contained words of encouragement and positivity.
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19 Apr 17
937 lone refugee children in Greece have no HOME, according to the latest EKKA (National Center of Social Solidarity) report, a government agency responsible for the registration of unaccompanied in Greece. Of those 202 children are in detention centers with no access to basic services. The remaining kids live in camps, police stations or on the streets.
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17 Apr 17
FXB Center for Health and Human Rights of the Harvard University publishes a report on the exploitation of refugee children in Greece. It provides facts and official academic data proving the extent of sexual, physical, emotional and psychological abuse that is taking place against the most vulnerable of the vulnerable. The HOME Project was set up to support and protect lone refugee children in Greece, who are exposed to violence and sexual abuse.
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12 Apr 17
Moving into our new shelter for 15 girls and 3 babies, operated by Medin in collaboration with ARSIS and Mazi gia to Paidi. Both the girls and the babies will receive a holistic network of services covering food, shelter, material, medical, psychosocial, and legal support as well as support from maternal mental health experts and early childhood learning specialists.
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10 Apr 17A year after the EU-Turkey Deal more than 3,500 people are in limbo on the island of Chios living in dehumanizing conditions. A disproportionate burden for the local population and authorities that have been exhausted by a combination of financial and refugee crisis. 60 homeless lone refugee children on the island of Chios outside of any protection system.
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26 Mar 17
Opening celebration at the new HOME Project shelters, operated by Medin in collaboration with Generation 2.0. Atenistas helped bring life and beauty to walls of the shelters and coordinated painting activities for Greek and refugee children.
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19 Mar 17
Children from one of The HOME Project shelters volunteered at the Athens Half-Marathon, by giving out water and collecting plastic bottles from the runners for recycling.
The activity was coordinated by the Institute Team for the World Environmental Alliance 2004+ and PwC Greece.
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04 Mar 17
The children from our shelter participated in their first swimming lesson, led by a professional coach. The activity was funded by the organizations Peaceful Warrior and Building Bridges Charity Film Festival.
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01 Mar 17
According to the latest EKKA (National Center of Social Solidarity) report, a government agency responsible for the registration of unaccompanied in Greece, there are 1008 children in Greece without a home. Of those 16 children are in detention centers with no access to basic services. The remaining kids live in camps, police stations or on the streets.
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22 Feb 17
Installing equipment at our second and third shelter which will host 30 children.
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21 Feb 17
Muhammed Muheisen of Associated Press publishes a series of photos which show the tragic reality of lone refugee children without any protection in Serbia.
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17 Feb 17
Benroubi, a small electrical appliances and household goods company, donates equipment and kitchenware for our shelters.
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15 Feb 17
EKKA, the National Center for Social Solidarity responsible for recording unaccompanied minors in Greece, reports that there are currently 1076 lone children without a home in Greece. Innocent children are at risk of violence, sexual abuse, exploitation and organ trafficking. There is an estimated number of 2,100 lone children in Greece at the moment.
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14 Feb 17
Western Union donates laptops worth €3,000 for the HOME Project children, who will use them for coding and language learning classes.
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11 Feb 17
The organizations Building Bridges and Peaceful Warrior funded a day-trip for 18 children. The kids played tennis and visited the Thermopyles Museum where they learned about the epic battle between the Spartans and the Persians.
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23 Jan 17
The HOME Project donates 10 laptop computers to the Education and Recreation for Adults and Children in Sounio Camp Program run by Organization Earth.
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07 Jan 17
- 5,139 unaccompanied minors officially registered entering Greece since the beginning of 2016. 4,697 (91% are boys) and 442 (9% are girls), 460 <14 years old
- 1,443 lone refugee children without a home, of those 309 in closed reception facilities, 15 in protective custody
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06 Jan 17
- 875 Mediterranean arrivals within the first 6 days of 2017
- 11 dead/missing within the first 6 days of 2017
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30 Dec 16
The entertainment company Come & Save Me organized a New Year's Eve Party for 45 lone refugee children in The HOME Project shelter. Professional DJ's and musicians brought music and joy to the shelter.
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28 Dec 16
The National Center for Social Solidarity Announces that 1,443 lone children have no home in Greece. Of those 309 children are kept in closed facilities in prison-like conditions.
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01 Dec 16
The EC released
- Its Fourth Report on the Implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement.
- Its Eighth Report on relocation and resettlement.
- A recommendation to Member States to gradually resume Dublin transfers to Greece under certain circumstances.
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10 Nov 16
The HOME Project has supported the NGO Medical Intervention operating on Samos with the provision of milk for 657 babies and young children.
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09 Nov 16
The European Commission (EC) released their Seventh Report on Relocation and Resettlement (Source: UNHCR) 7,990 lives have been lost while crossing the Mediterranean. According to the UN Children’s Fund many of the dead are believed to be children and many were travelling alone (IOM)
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24 Oct 16
French authorities shut down the refugee camp in Calais.
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06 Oct 16
The European Commission officially launched the European Border and Coast Guard (EBCG) Agency.
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28 Sep 16
The European Commission released:
- Sixth Report on relocation and resettlement
- Third Recommendation in view of the resumption of Dublin transfers to Greece
- Third Report on the progress made in the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement
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19 Sep 16
United Nations General Assembly Summit in New York. Adopts the New York Declaration outlining key commitments to protect refugee and migrant rights.
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16 Sep 16
Informal Bratislava Summit, whereby Leaders set out the priorities at EU-level for the next few months. On migration, they include further bringing down the number of irregular migrants arriving to the EU, controlling external borders effectively, cooperate with non-EU countries and “apply the principles of responsibility and solidarity”.
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14 Sep 16
The European Border and Coast Guard Regulation is formally adopted.
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09 Sep 16
Greek authorities registered over 3,300 unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee children arriving in Greece in the first seven months of 2016.
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23 Aug 16
The Greek Asylum Service announced results of the pre-registration exercise, following its completion on 25 July.
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13 Jul 16
The European Commission released:
- Its Proposals to recast the Asylum Procedures Directive, recast the Qualification Directive and amend the Reception Conditions Directive.
- Its proposal on an EU Resettlement Framework.
- Its Fifth Report on relocation and resettlement.
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01 Jul 16
40% of refugee arrivals are children. Of those - we don’t know exactly how many and this is part of the problem- are thousands of children who travel and arrive in Europe all alone. 100,000 unaccompanied minors sought asylum in the European Union in 2015. This is a 4 times larger number than the corresponding period a year ago. 13 percent of them are children younger than 14.
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17 Jun 16
The European Commission:
- Released Fourth Report on Relocation and Resettlement.
- Released Second report on the progress Made in the implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement.
- Adopted a recommendation on the urgent measures to be taken by Greece in the view of the resumption of transfers to the country under the Dublin III Regulation.
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12 Jun 16
The UNHCR reported that 157,396 refugees arrived by sea through Greece in 2016. 38 per cent of those were children.
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08 Jun 16
The Greek Asylum Service started pre-registration for applications for international protection, supported by UNHCR and EASO.
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01 Jun 16
The closing of the borders has left the children trapped in Greece. All the shelters for unaccompanied minors are full. As a result more than 900 children are homeless residing in the streets, camps, and detention centers. Child -prostitution networks start flourishing in the center of Athens.
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30 May 16
The National Center for Social Solidarity (EKKA) announced that there are more than 900 unaccompanied minors in Greece, who are homeless and need urgent assistance from local and European authorities. More than 450 unaccompanied minors are held in detention centers.
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29 May 16
More than 700 people are believed to have drowned in the Mediterranean during a period of one week, which was the deadliest seven days for Europe-bound asylum seekers in more than a year.
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18 May 16
- The European Commission adopted its third progress report on the EU’s emergency relocation and resettlement schemes.
- The Turkish President approved the legislative framework regarding the EU-Turkey Statement with regards to the readmission of people from Greece.
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04 May 16
The European Commission released:
- Proposals to reform the Common European Asylum System, with proposals to reform the Dublin Regulation, the EURODAC system and to turn the European Asylum Support Office into an European Union Agency for Asylum.
- Third Progress Report by Turkey in fulfilling the requirements of its visa liberalization roadmap.
- Proposal to grant visa liberalization to Turkish citizens.
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27 Apr 16
Turkey amended labor legislation to grant those holding subsidiary protection work permits.
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18 Apr 16
Fears 400 refugees have drowned in Mediterranean after boats capsize. Reports said the refugees were fleeing to Italy from Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea in four boats which were ill-equipped for the journey.
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07 Apr 16
Turkish government amended the Temporary Protection Regulation regarding access to temporary protection for Syrian nationals who irregularly travel to Europe and who are returned to Turkey from Greek islands.
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06 Apr 16
The European Commission (EC) published Communication on reforms to Common European Asylum System (CEAS).
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04 Apr 16
First returns take place under the EU-Turkey Statement: 202 people returned to Turkey from Greece.
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03 Apr 16
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20 Mar 16
Start of the EU-Turkey Statement.
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18 Mar 16
EU-Turkey Deal: EU Heads of State for Government and Turkey agreed to end the irregular migration from Turkey to the EU and replace it instead with legal channels of resettlement of refugees to the European Union.
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30 Jan 16
Europol announces that at least 10,000 unaccompanied child refugees have disappeared after arriving in Europe, according to the EU’s criminal intelligence agency. Many are feared to have fallen into the hands of organized trafficking syndicates.
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30 Dec 15
The UN refugee agency reported that more than one million migrants and refugees had reached Europe by sea during 2015. More than 80% arrived in Greece from Turkey, while most of the others arrived in Italy from Libya. 3,735 people had died or were lost at sea.
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03 Sep 15
The slogan ‘refugees welcome’ goes viral: 250,000 people in 48 hours back an ‘Independent’ petition calling for Britain to take its fair share of refugees.
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02 Sep 15
Photo of drowned little boy goes viral: Pictures of three-year-old Aylan al-Kurdi, drowned in his Syrian family’s attempt to reach Greece from Turkey, provoke a wave of public sympathy for refugees.
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01 Sep 15
Thousands of migrants gathered outside Keleti railway station in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, after police sealed off the terminal to stop them travelling through the EU. The Hungarian government said it was trying to enforce EU law (the Dublin Regulation), which states that refugees should seek asylum in the first EU country they enter. However, the migrants wanted to claim asylum in Germany. For four days, the migrants camped outside the station and were in a stand-off with police. Eventually, hundreds began walking along the motorway to the Austrian border. The Austrian chancellor said Austria and Germany had agreed to let the migrants cross their borders. The Hungarian government abandoned attempts to register the migrants and sent buses to bring them to the border. Some Austrians and Germans gathered to welcome the migrants. A convoy of 140 cars driven by German and Austrian activists also crossed into Hungary to pick up migrants.
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24 Aug 15
Germany announces that it will take in 800,000 migrants that year and becomes the first EU country to suspend a 1990 protocol which forces refugees to seek asylum in the first European country in which they set foot.
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20 Jul 15
EU Accepts Refugees: EU leaders agree to accept 32,256 refugees from Italy and Greece; this is just short of the 40,000 proposed in May by EC president Jean-Claude Juncker.
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29 May 15
More than 700 people drowned in the Mediterranean. The casualties happened in three separate incidents on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday after more than 13,000 people set sail from Libya for Italy in an eight-day period.
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12 Apr 15
A boat with up to 550 migrants on board capsized off the coast of Libya. About 400 people are believed to have drowned while about 150 were rescued by the Italian coastguard.
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01 Apr 15
In a number of concurrent wrecks, an unprecedented 1,308 refugees and migrants drowned or went missing in a single month (compared to 42 in April 2014).