Diary

Thank you Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ and Niko Efstathiou for his article «Destruction as a force of renaissance” portraying, with an outstanding sensitivity and inspiration our recent trip to Ancient Messini, to learn its history and visit the museum and the archaeological site where the emblematic city once stood. All seen under the guidance of the President of the Society of Messenian Archaeological Studies, Prof. Petros Themelis. The children cared for by The HOME Project did a symbolic reforestation, which soon after inspired others. Read more in the article

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We were very happy to welcome George Logothetis, Chairman and CEO of our founder The Libra Group who honored us with a visit at the Shapiro Family shelter. He was accompanied by The HOME Project management team and had very interesting discussions with shelter staff and girls we care for about their current education plan and their dreams for the future.

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The Maplerun Band chose to raise funds for The HOME Project through the band’s 10-year anniversary show, which is one not-to-be-missed! When young, talented people do this, our strive to help as many children as possible is … wildly boosted!

Watch their Official Trailer

We all had such a good time at the 2018 Athens Authentic Marathon. Staff from The HOME Project office and shelters joined children from the Orion and Socrates shelter and ACS Athens Youth to Youth students and members of the school’s administration to run the 5km race.

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The HOME Project announces €4 million grant from the IKEA Foundation

• The new grant will enable The HOME Project to house and care for 100 unaccompanied refugee children for the next three years
• The HOME Project has already supported more than 300 children and created more than 130 jobs

(Link).

A media event was held on November 6th, 2018 announcing the new IKEA Foundation Grant. The event was organized by V+O Communication which supports The HOME Project on a probono basis. 

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Ζ is one of the girls of the Shapiro Family shelter. Like all children cared for by The HOME Project she goes to school and participates in several activities as part of her individual development plan, a primary focus of our child protection unit.

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On Saturdays, all children of The HOME Project shelters take time to relax before doing their school homework for the week ahead. The children of the Socrates shelter use their wonderful outdoor space for some much needed physical exercise.

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An Indian recipes cooking workshop was offered to the girls of the Pugad shelter by the lovely Time to be Welcome volunteers Kirsty and Irene

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All children cared for by The HOME Project attend school and for that, they need school supplies, a lot of them actually. We are so grateful to our friends and supporters for enabling us to purchase everything (!) the children need for the school year ahead.

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Josie, Zoe and Ramzi from St. Catherine's British School had the marvelous idea of organizing birthday parties for the girls of The HOME Project shelters. In itself, one might think, this not a big thing. Only, unaccompanied minors usually have the same birthday... January 1st of this or that year, depending on when the authorities estimate them to have been born. So, this week, the girls met with the first group of the Shapiro Family shelter and talked things out so this can become a reality for them. Because birthdays are symbols of differentiation, of self and all children deserve that.

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We are so proud of our Youth Representatives Nargis and Amadou who are now, as adults, an integral part of The HOME Project team, volunteering every day at our offices and operations. Today they helped us in the food supplies of our shelters, collecting fruits and vegetables from the Gyzi farmers' market with Μπορούμε NGO and Time to be Welcome volunteers.

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"Two charity organizations (in Athens) are successfully changing lives, child by child"
“On that particular day, we broke our “record” of collected produce”, says Cambouropoulou of Boroume NGO, “gathering 589 kilos that we offered to The HOME Project shelters!” Economou added that “the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables, which were very substantial, were equally distributed to our 11 shelters, much to our children’s delight and always in line with our standards of healthy nutrition”.
Thank you Greek City Times for showcasing our innovative collaboration with "Boroume", collecting fruits and vegetables from farmers’ markets in Athens with the participation of volunteers and children of The HOME Project shelters, proving how volunteer work, combating food waste and child protection can lead to new forms of community building.

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Moments like these inspire us to continue fighting for our cause. Watch here Yassin, one of the boys –who, as a minor, enjoyed the safety and healing environment of our Orion shelter – now as an adult - reuniting with his family in Germany.

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I.K is 16 and recently came to our Socrates shelter. As soon as he settled in, he asked to meet a dog. Then, when the visit by SAPT Hellas was arranged, other boys jumped at the opportunity and asked to participate. The guests of honor on this day were none other than the group's four-legged, mixed-breed, formerly stray, now adopted and trained therapy dogs, Hiona and Bigla. Thank you people for this wonderful and relaxing time!

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Art includes all. The visually, hearing, physically impaired but also those speaking a different language. All, including many of the children we care for at The HOME Project shelters -some of who are full-time students at the ACS Athens through a scholarship program of The Shapiro Foundation - had a very pleasant evening watching the theatrical play "Solon and Croesus" staged and performed by the IRIS group, at the specially designed and accessible Euripides Theater of Rematia and in the context of the Rematia Festival 2018 .

After watching the play, Maher said, “I knew that money is not everything”. True, solidarity is everything.

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So great to have back with us The Flying Seagull Project for an extended time, experiencing the power of laughter and physical play. All together we can be more effective in addressing this crisis and enabling children to feel like children again

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“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
Thank you We Need Books for providing us with wonderful books in Arabic, Farsi, English and Greek for the children we care for.

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September 6th, 2018 was the first day of school for the 18 children selected to become full time American Community Schools students, a program enabled by The Shapiro Foundation. Some of them could not even wait for the school bus to pick them up and were at the school since early morning. A new day, a new beginning. We are all very proud of them.

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Our Executive Director Sofia Kouvelaki will be one of the speakers in a panel on "Accompanying Unaccompanied Child Refugees: The challenges facing advocates and activists" which aims to provide solutions, by combining academic and on the ground experience, and is organized by Harvard University's FXB Center for Health and Human Rights in collaboration with the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, on September 26th at the CGIS Lounge on the Harvard campus.

Speakers: Jacqueline Bhabha (FXB Center at HSPH), Sofia Kouvelaki (The Home Project, Athens), and Vidur Chopra (HGSE). Chair: Melani Cammett (Harvard Government Department).

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There are currently more than 8,000 people currently in living in Moria refugee camp with infrastructures that can only accommodate less than 2,000. The vulnerability of all the population living in these criminally dehumanizing conditions is very high. However, the toll of this situation on children and youth can cause irreparable damage in terms of both physical and mental health. We are witnessing these effects in the increasingly worsening condition of the children we care for when they arrive at our shelters. The need for housing and appropriate mental health services is urgent. All relevant stakeholders need to join forces to implement immediate solutions.

 

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On September 27th, 2018, the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs of Brown University is organizing an important discussion on "Responding to the Global Refugee Crisis at Home and Abroad" under the Humanitarian Innovation Initiative and have invited our Executive Director Sofia Kouvelaki, a Brown University alumna to participate as an expert panelist and Omar Bah, Founder and Executive Director of The Refugee Dream Center. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Adam Levine, Director of the Humanitarian Innovation Initiative at Brown.

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A few days before the close of the summer football camp of Earth Refugee, all participating children under our care were invited to spend a lovely afternoon at Organization Earth's Center of the Earth which included a healthy dinner made of vegetables grown in the center's own garden, petting the horses, team games and a lot of relaxation, all close to nature 

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Reporter Alexia Amvrazi of Greek City Times did a live report at the Ano Ilissia Farmers’ Market to cover and share the praiseworthy efforts of Boroume to collect fruit and vegetables for the children we care for at The HOME Project.

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Nargis, until recently a lone refugee minor girl who was staying at The HOME Project's Shapiro Family shelter, is now happily employed and working in the beautiful island of Santorini. We would like to extend a big thank you to Grace Santorini for this opportunity, showcasing the crucial role of the private sector in creating jobs and integrating these children into our society.

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The staff and the children of the Socrates shelter created a healing room along with the support of The HOME Project' Scientific Supervisor Fotis Parthenides reorganizing spaces of the building, transforming them into a comforting environment and creating the needed emotional safety for our children, to attend psychotherapeutic sessions, receive legal services, relax outdoors and conduct team building activities.
We are grateful to all of our in-kind donation supporters for enabling us to create this space.

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Through active engagement and participation, youth significantly contributes to our community. A big thank you to students of College Year in Athens who volunteered with us, painted the ground floor of our Socrates shelter and then, in exhilaration for a job well done, danced with all the shelter’s children.

Thank you Allou! Fun Park for an evening of joy and amusement to children that we care for and who are living at the “Orion” and the "Socrates" shelters. Part of our mission is to integrate these kids into society via activities that will make them feel like children again. Laughter and amusement are crucial elements in doing that.

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Maria Kaldani, our Scientific Supervisor was invited to the St. Thomas University School of Law Human Trafficking Academy in Miami, U.S.A. to give a presentation on our child protection program. In collaboration with trauma specialists, Judith Bachay Ph.D. and Martha L Vallejo, offered a training seminar to students in order to prepare them for a visit to a detention center in Texas for legal support to asylum seeking women and children.

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The children of the Orion shelter gathered first aid items and medicines to support the injured of the wild-urban fires of Mati and Rafina that will be sent out to collection points today with a sweet note “your pain is our pain”. Their empathy is to be expected, as, in one way or another they too have been in such a position, traumatized and fleeing from what they used to call home, from one minute to the next.

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This is a sign the girls of the "Shapiro Family" shelter bought and hung at the entrance of their home.

“This is how we feel here", they said.

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The very talented actress Zina Wilde, a continuous supporter of The HOME Project, conducted a very special theatrical workshop for the girls of the “Shapiro Family” shelter focusing on self-esteem building, non-verbal communication and breathing exercises. Thank you Zina; Looking forward to having you again with us!

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Thank you initiative Earth Refugee, for offering 57 children from The HOME Project shelters an amazing 8-week summer football camp in cooperation with UNICEF, the @youridjorkaefffoundation and Οργάνωση Γη - Organization Earth. With schools closed for the summer, daily sports and Friday events is the best "recipe" to nurture and empower the body and spirit of lone refugee children, a continuous effort in which such support is truly invaluable.

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Our daily efforts are focused on breaking cultural and social barriers and empowering lone refugee children we care for. Last night, on World Refugee Day, for yet another time, through music and dance -with Anasa Cultural Center- and food -with the support of Μπορούμε- we celebrated alike efforts to stand with refugees, joined also by people of the neighborhood around one of The HOME Project shelters and visitors from all over the world.

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The HOME Project is thankful as, for yet another summer, we have had a lot of interested volunteers that will be supporting the children we care for at The HOME Project shelters. From lessons in languages, dance, IT, to shopping, preparing and cooking food to even tagging along with shelter staff and children in outdoor activities of all sorts, like sports and the movies. Thank you all, you are presenting the children with the opportunity to learn, have fun and make new friends

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Thank you The Whiffenpoofs, one of the oldest collegiate a Cappella groups, seniors of Yale University, for offering a concert to The HOME Project children. The young men sang many songs from their broad repertoire and their audience were unaccompanied girls and mothers with babies from the Shapiro Family and Pugad shelters. It was a therapeutic experience for everybody. Also thank you Melina & Nefeli, the two underage girls who came to visit us to discuss this incredible idea.

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Thank you Μπισκότα Παπαδοπούλου for your generous donation. Biscuits, cereal bars and crackers… loved since… forever and until today. You made the mornings of the children we care for at The HOME Project shelters so much sweeter and healthier.

On June 2nd, in celebration of the 40 years of HAEF Athens College - Psychico College the last show of the year “Our own Alphabet” (Η δική μας Αλφαβήτα), organized by the Athens College Fund Drive Κολλέγιο Αθηνών Κολλέγιο Ψυχικού and performed by the 6th graders was an emotional evening. Students, teachers, families and alumni were all there to watch the play. The HOME Project would like to thanks the play’s producer, Francesca Spengos-Kardasilaris ('00), for including a message of our team in the scene Niazome (Νοιάζομαι - I care): 
Girl #4 – “Yes madam, terrorism and war drive so many people away from their homes. I care about all these refugees finding safety and restarting their lives. The other day, I saw a baby in a flea-market lug (or basket)”. (Asking in a demanding tone to get an answer): “What is a baby doing in a flea-market basket?” The Home Project. 
Proceeds of the play will be funneled to the College’s Fund Drive

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Thank you Hellenic American University for your support. The HOME Project was distinguished and awarded the President’s Community Partner award for 2018. This is an annually granted award aimed at a non-profit organization that enhances the quality of life in the community in meaningful and measurable ways and is engaged in the development of sustained, reciprocal partnerships with the Hellenic American University.

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On Friday, June 1st, 2018, the children who participated in the 3rd cycle of the Youth to Youth and Business to Youth programs, a remarkable and pioneering collaboration of the ACS Athens (American Community Schools) and The HOME Project graduated. Pride, knowledge and inclusion, all the necessary equipment for life are there, in the minds and hearts of them all and our hearts too. Thank you ACS Athens for all the support; Your administration, teachers and students together have made a huge difference.

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Mamadou, an unaccompanied minor who was staying at The HOME Project's Socrates shelter until recently, now, an independent adult and working in a hotel in the beautiful island of Kimolos. His smile reflects the sense of pride he’s feeling. Thank you Aria Hotels for the chance you gave him, also proving the ever important role of the private sector in creating jobs for these children. The integration of refugee-children who arrive in Greece all alone in search of a safe place is key to the success of our efforts.

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Thank you Locus Athens and the Stagones team for offering our children from Orion and Kallithea shelters the opportunity to participate in the COB workshop inside the GEOmetries exhibition at the Agricultural University of Athens. After mixing sand, clay, water and hay with their hands and feet, the children built a small, yet sturdy wall and had a fun and very creative afternoon. 

Our work was recognized by The Hellenic Initiative at the Hellenic Initiative 3rd Annual London Event. It is an honor and a pleasure to feel that we are not alone in our efforts to provide support, protection, education and social integration services to refugee children that arrive alone to Greece. Our Executive Director Sofia Kouvelaki received the award on behalf of all The HOME Project team. We would like to dedicate this award to our supporters, to our partners on the ground and to all the children living in our shelters.

Thank you St. Catherine's British School for inviting The HOME Project on premises for a presentation of our work. Our Scientific Supervisor Ms. Maria Kaldani spoke to more than 150 upper school children. Plus, under the initiative of students, this day was also designated as "Pizza Sale” day, with proceeds directly supporting The HOME Project. 

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Thank you ΑΝΙΜΑ - Σύλλογος Προστασίας και Περίθαλψης Άγριας Ζωής for this Sunday’s trip on mountain Parnitha. The day was dedicated to freedom and children from the Little Pugad and Shapiro Family shelters released into the wild two young turtles –which they named Syria and Allemania (Germany)- and a female hawk –which they named Ellada (Greece). The young hawk had been found with a broken wing and was hospitalized in ANIMA’S vet station -for 4 months- in order to recuperate and be able to fly again. 
Before we left this beautiful scenery, the children played games with Stefanos Ganotis, volunteer for #ΑΝΙΜΑ and scouts from the Time to be Welcome Program. 
We had real fun but the action also symbolized a lot for unaccompanied children found stranded in Greece

Thank you for this innovative partnership MIT School of Architecture + Planning and Marc Simmons for working for the benefit of the children we care for at The HOME Project shelters. These amazing illustrations reflect your skills and inspiration in making the children’s lives better and in turn strengthen our will and efforts to continue our work even more.

Thank you Pentheroudakis Jewelry for supporting The HOME Project's shelters for unaccompanied children with the design of a limited edition pendant "All I See is Magic".

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The Hellenic Initiative is doing great work to support entrepreneurship and humanitarian issues in Greece and is hosting a fundraiser event on Wednesday May 16th at The Dorchester in London. Funds raised will support The HOME Project mission in providing support, protection, education and social integration services to unaccompanied refugee children in Greece, and Elpida Youth, a non-profit organization caring for the psychological wellbeing of children suffering from cancer. 
To support and learn more visit: http://bit.ly/2IJTBDV

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Thank you Jeddah Group.We are delighted and fortunate to see that we are not alone. Five amazing couples from Jeddah, Nour and Hisham, Lina and Mo, Yasmine and Mo, Rimi and Amr & Assia and Salman head off to climb three challenging peaks (Snowdon, Wales-Ben Nevis, Scotland-Scafell Pike, England) to raise awareness and funds for The HOME Project's work.

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Thank you Kathimerini English Edition for showcasing our work and its positive impact to the neighborhoods of Athens. Joining forces makes us all more efficient in addressing this crisis.

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Thank you Agrino for the donation of 200 kgs of rice for the children we shelter and care for at The HOME Project's homes.

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DID YOU KNOW: According to latest official data by ΕΚΚΑ (The National Center for Social Solidarity), since the beginning of 2016, 12,022 unaccompanied refugee children have been registered in Greece. At the moment, 2,200 of them live outside of any protection system, in the streets, police stations, detention centers and overcrowded camps with no access to basic care, services, nor any information on their rights. Please share and/or consider supporting –in any way- the mission of @The HOME Project: our homes and the holistic network of services we apply help these children “be and feel seen” by meeting their need for safety, education and social integration. You can now support children traveling and arriving in Europe all alone via The HOME Project.

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We were delighted and honored to have Ed Shapiro founder of The Shapiro Foundation with us. Thank you for enabling us to create the “Shapiro family” shelter for unaccompanied minor girls and minor mothers with babies, supported by the Shapiro Foundation. We are grateful for the time Ed Shapiro spent with our staff and the children living in The HOME Project shelters. 

Thank you Athens Voice Radio and Stefanos Dandolos for the radio time he offered to Sofia Kouvelaki, Executive Director of The HOME Project for the Athens community to be informed about the organization's aims and the holistic model it applies to cover the needs of unaccompanied minors in our country.

 

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The “The HOME Project non-profit organization” with the distinctive title “The HOME Project”  and the non-profit organization “Iatriki Paremvasi” with the distinctive title “Med-In (Medical Intervention)” hereby state that as of April 15^th, 2018, the two organizations mutually agreed to dissolve, with no further claims, their collaboration concerning the unaccompanied minors’ shelters operating in a) 15A Diogenous Laertiou (Irida Girls – shelter for unaccompanied minor girls b) 26, Filippidou Street (Irida Boys – shelter for unaccompanied minor boys), c) 12, Kallergi Street (Estia – shelter for unaccompanied minor boys) and d) 89, Alkamenous Street (Little Prince shelter), in Athens. These shelters continue to be operated by “The HOME Project” under its diligence and responsibility.

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Thank you Αθήνα9.84 Official Group and Maria Pavlou (Alla Nea?” broadcast) for her interest in our work and offering radio time to Sofia Kouvelaki, Executive Director of The HOME Project, for her to relay important messages and information on our work.

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Thank you The Flying Seagull Project for an afternoon of healing laughter and games for our youngest children at one of The HOME Project shelters. We are thankful for the creative ways our community comes together to ensure that each of these kids have the protection, care, opportunity and fun that they deserve. We are looking forward to dreaming and playing together very soon.

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Thank you Η Καθημερινή της Κυριακής and the “K” magazine for a great presentation of The HOME Project community, for giving voice to unaccompanied minors and for showcasing our work and its positive impact. Joining forces makes us all more efficient in addressing this crisis.

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We're thrilled to be a part of The Hellenic Initiative's 3rd Annual London Event on Wednesday, May 16th at The Dorchester! Thanks to everyone for supporting the event, 
Make sure to reserve your seat today and tag your friends in London: https://goo.gl/ZAW91J 
Donations will support The HOME Project and Elpida Youth
To learn more, visit: https://goo.gl/Bk9SSZ

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Thank you our partners Ελληνικός Προσκοπισμός and Time to be Welcome for facilitating an amazing event for the children of The HOME Project Shelters and Greek youth on Sunday. Pakistani, Syrian, Nigerian, Iraqi, Greek, Kurdish and Afghan kids spent their day together in activities ranging from Tai Chi, to in-depth discussions on what constitutes culture, and planting lemon and orange trees during a discussion on environmentalism.

During an activity, 16-year-old Ahmed from Syria wrote: “I don’t want war in the world. I want peace all over the world.” They each deserve a chance at this peace — and despite the darkest of circumstances, we see so much more strength and hope than we do victimhood or fear.

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On Saturday, March 31st, a live music night for a good cause, was organized by Panos & Cressida 4 Life - Πάνος & Χρυσηίδα βοήθεια στα παιδιά to benefit our children. 
The event was held at Φιλολογικός Σύλλογος Παρνασσός and money raised from the ticket sales will go to support the purchase of musical equipment for the children and the creation of  music corners in our shelters. 

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Thank you Δεσμός - Desmos for supporting The HOME Project shelters through their “Desmos Gives Warmth” program helping us keep our children warm and happy. Only through a sustainable community of support engaging all relevant stakeholders we can implement a harmonious form of social integration and progress. 

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Last weekend, 40 boys and girls from HOME Project shelters kicked off the third cycle of the American Community Schools “Youth to Youth” and “Business to Youth” program. The children will attend English and Greek lessons, computer science, art and music therapy, and sports. They will also receive specific training and linkages to the job market. Collaborating with ACS has facilitated safe and creative educational experiences for the unaccompanied minor children that The HOME Project supports. Thank you again American Community Schools for this incredible partnership and for helping us create a holistic educational community. 

Last week, our The HOME Project girls attended a great performance by Nicola Piovani and Stefanos Korkolis supporting Coeurs pour Tous Hellas at the Μέγαρο Μουσικής Αθηνών / Megaron - The Athens Concert Hall. A big thank you to Envolve Entrepreneurship Award GR for their generous gift that made possible an evening of joy and healing via music. Through community and compassion, we can work to restore dignity and normalcy into the lives of the children that we serve.

We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Ένωση "Μαζί για το Παιδί" for the provision of food and hygiene supplies for The HOME Project children. The creation of a sustainable community of support around our children is a key element in our work. All together we can be much more efficient in addressing this crisis.

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The HOME Project's Scientific Supervisor Maria Kaldani and children from the shelters volunteered at the Athens Half Marathon 2018 to pass out water, cheer on the runners and share the excitement of the day. 

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“I think we don’t face a fatigue of darkness in our work; on the contrary we are fueled and refueled by the happiness of actually working on the solutions rather than focusing on the problem.” Sofia Kouvelaki
Greek Reporter has given a voice to our children and to The HOME Project.

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Farhad, age 9, plays with volunteers in "The Little Prince" shelter on February 28, 2018. Farhad arrived alone in Greece from Pakistan, and is now safe in The HOME Project shelter that cares for the youngest refugee children without guardians.

Sharing his new home with him are a brother and sister who arrived together from Syria, ages 8 and 9, and another young boy from Syria, age 10.

When arriving at the shelter to meet the children and volunteers, a sense of warmth, comfort and calm was present -- the children's artwork covers the walls, we play shoots and ladders, cards, and there's a quiet chorus of laughter and play.

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Ali, or “A,” looks over Athens at Areopagus Hill on Feb. 28, 2017. Ali and his younger brother arrived in Greece as unaccompanied minors, fleeing their home in Syria alone in 2017. Anna Ruch, and I’ll be sharing stories from the work The HOME Project does every day to protect, care for, and provide shelter for refugee children in Greece like Ali.

 

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Former Barack Obama White house photo editor Anna Ruch took over The HOME Project social media accounts. These images are from her visit to our shelter for our youngest children, under the age of 12, who have arrived in Greece without parents or guardians. 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. 

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DID YOU KNOW? According to latest official data since the beginning of 2016, 11,325 unaccompanied refugee children have been registered in Greece.
At the moment, more than 2,100 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 traveling and arriving in Europe all alone via The HOME Project

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Μπορούμε continuously enabling The HOME Project to participate every week at the Gyzi Farm Market (Laiki) and gather fresh fruits and vegetables for its homes with the help of The HOME Project children and volunteers from Time to be Welcome.

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 Odeon Entertainment Greece enabled our children to visit Odeon Escape Cinema (former Ster) and travel into the movies’ world of imagination and dreams.

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.

 P&G provided hygiene and cleaning products to The HOME Project children and supported us in constantly improving our quality of care. 

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.

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.

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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“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.

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“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.

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“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.

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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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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. 

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V+O Group supported and offered wonderful gifts to The HOME Project children. We are grateful to have you by our side and looking forward to a creative giving collaboration.

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“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. 

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“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.

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“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. 

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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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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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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LSP team joined  The HOME Project offices and thank you Ροδούλα ζύμες & γλυκά for the delicious treat

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#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. 

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.

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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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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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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 

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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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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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!

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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

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LIFO presented the work of The HOME Project and raised awareness on the issue of lone refugee children in Greece.

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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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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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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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Thank you To vima for presenting the first results of our work and raising awareness on the issue of lone refugee children in Greece. At The HOME Project in collaboration with productive partnerships we have created a sustainable community of support around our children.

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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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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.

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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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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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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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).

 

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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“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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A walk into an unpredictable world of beautiful nature. The HOME Project boys and girls visited the National Observatory of Athens where NEON in collaboration with Adrian Villa Rojas transformed the hill of the Nymphs into "The Theater of Disappearance". 

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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.

Tech Talent School and Microsoft Hellas are teaching digital skills and coding helping us empower our kids 

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Boroume continuously supports The HOME Project and its mission by collecting fresh fruits and vegetables from the farmer's market.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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Thank you Food Bank, for your continuous support donating food to the HOME Project shelters.

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Summer 2017 vs Summer 1915

Refugee children enjoying the timeless beauty of the sea. 

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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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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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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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Boroume donates food supplies for The HOME Project shelters.

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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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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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Our children visit The Benaki Museum and experience Greek culture and history first hand.

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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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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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UNHCR GREECE donates 180 boxes of clothes for girls, boys and babies, and kitchen equipment for The HOME Project shelters.

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Storytellers from the Festival LEA – Sol Latino visited and enchanted our children with tales.

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Faber-Castell donates art material for the children of The HOME Project shelters.

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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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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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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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Girls from our shelter participated in the Youth Spark Live Event, "Empowering employment opportunities for women,“ organized by Found.ation in collaboration with Microsoft.

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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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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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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“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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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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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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The organization Boroume donates a large amount of food and cleaning supplies for one of the HOME Project shelters.

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The organizations Carry the Future and Desmos make a large donation of food supplies for our shelters.

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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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.

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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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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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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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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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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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.

Installing equipment at our second and third shelter which will host 30 children.

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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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Benroubi, a small electrical appliances and household goods company, donates equipment and kitchenware for our shelters.

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.

Western Union donates laptops worth €3,000 for the HOME Project children, who will use them for coding and language learning classes. 

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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The HOME Project donates 10 laptop computers to the Education and Recreation for Adults and Children in Sounio Camp Program run by Organization Earth.

• 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

 

• 875 Mediterranean arrivals within the first 6 days of 2017
• 11 dead/missing within the first 6 days of 2017

 

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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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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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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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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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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French authorities shut down the refugee camp in Calais.

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The European Commission officially launched the European Border and Coast Guard (EBCG) Agency.

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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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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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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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The European Border and Coast Guard Regulation is formally adopted.

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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The Greek Asylum Service announced results of the pre-registration exercise, following its completion on 25 July.

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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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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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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.

 

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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The Greek Asylum Service started pre-registration for applications for international protection, supported by UNHCR and EASO.

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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.

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.

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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• 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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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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Turkey amended labor legislation to grant those holding subsidiary protection work permits.

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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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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The European Commission (EC) published Communication on reforms to Common European Asylum System (CEAS).

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First returns take place under the EU-Turkey Statement: 202 people returned to Turkey from Greece.

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Greece implemented a new law highlighting the creation of the Reception and Identification Service, restructuring of the Asylum Service, the creation of an Appeals’ Authority, and the creation of new Regional Asylum Offices.

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Start of the EU-Turkey Statement.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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).

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