CIVIL SOCIETY: 269 PRACTICES
"Together for Children" Association was founded in Greece in 1996. It is a union of non-profit NGOs, that work in the field of child welfare and is managed by a Board of Directors composed of representatives of each member-organization.
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With the aim to address issues of inclusion that ultimately benefit young people with fewer opportunities, "Together for Children" (TFC) materialized the campaign “Promoting Health and Education in remote areas of Greece” focusing on the provision of services and infrastructure to tackle poverty, inequalities and social exclusion and on building strong links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas, thus targeting Sustainable Development Goals, 1 No poverty, 3 Good health and wellbeing, 4 Quality education, 10 Reduced inequalities, 11 Sustainable cities and communities and 17 Partnerships for the Goals. (UN Sustainable Development Goals)
Local communities in the northern borderland areas of Greece. Specifically, educational communities and health structures (schools, kindergartens, libraries, children's creative centers, hospitals, health centers, etc.) of Evros prefecture.
Through the project’s activities during 2019-2020, it is estimated that more than 2,000 children living in Evros were supported as well as their families. In addition the program supported the needs of the general population covered by the public hospitals of Alexandroupolis and Didymoteicho, and Dikaia Health Center.
The project’s duration is three years but the program will continue in the following years in other borderland and remote areas of Greece.
Through the program "Equal Opportunities for Children: Actions for Health and Education in Borderland Areas of Greece" TFC aims to support children who are on the borders of Greece and offer them new opportunities as well as supplies for their future development.
In the context of the project, TfC covered the infrastructure and equipment needs of 45 schools (nursery, primary and secondary educational units) based in the prefectured of Evros and more specifically the municipalities of Orestiada, Soufli, and Didymoteicho.
Moreover, it covered some of the needs in the equipment of the Neonatal Care Unit of the General University Hospital of Alexandroupolis and of the Pediatric Department of the General Hospital of Didymoteicho.
In addition to the above-mentioned interventions, TfC’s scientific team comprising of doctors, pedo-psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers provided a series of face to face educational and phycho-educational seminars to young students and their parents, health professionals, teachers and specific groups of beneficiaries facing developmental and/or learning disabilities, with the aim to promote their psycho-social health, enhance their skills, emphasize on their individual needs.
For the purposes of the project TfC proceeded with:
•- Covering the infrastructure and equipment needs of 45 schools (nursery, primary, and secondary educational units) from the broader area of Evros and more specifically the municipalities of Orestiada, Soufli, and Didymoteicho.
• -The Reconstruction of school courts in Deidymoteicho | On behalf of TFC, approximately 160 students who attend the Primary School of Northeastern Greece in Deidymoteicho will now have the opportunity to play in brand new courts totaling 790 square meters. In addition to beautifying the school’s courtyard, TFC structured the courts using special carpeting to delineate basketball, volleyball and handball areas in addition to providing all the necessary equipment for each sporting activity.
• -The renovation of school courts and a playground in Dikaia | TFC renovated a basketball and volleyball court for the 54 students of the Primary School of Dikaia, located in the northernmost point of Greece. Additionally, TFC provided outdoor playground equipment for the 15 children who attend the Kindergarten of Dikaia.
•- The creation of a greenhouse for the cultivation of environmental awareness in the primary school of Rizia | TFC created a greenhouse for the cultivation of vegetables and aromatic plants at the Primary School of Rizia where 58 students are currently enrolled. Rizia is a village of 1,200 inhabitants located 5 km from the Greek-Turkish border in the area of Orestiada. The creation of the greenhouse marks the beginning of an innovative school program which aims to contribute to the development of students' environmental awareness under the guidance of a specialized teacher.
• -The provision of medical equipment | At the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, TFC donated a medical device for monitoring vital functions. The donation follows last year's contribution, further providing the latest in technological equipment to serve the needs of 600,000 residents from five prefectures in the area. Moreover, TFC donated a wheeled suction to the Health Center of Dikaia supporting a population of 8,000 inhabitants in the wider area. In addition, TFC offered covid-19 medical supplies (masks, goggles and protective uniforms) for the doctors and the staff of the Center.
• -Seminars | In addition to the above-mentioned interventions, TfC’s scientific team comprising of doctors, pedo-psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers will provide a series of face to face educational and phycho-educational seminars to young students and their parents, health professionals, teachers and specific groups of beneficiaries facing developmental and/or learning disabilities, with the aim to promote their psycho- social health, enhance their skills, emphasize on their individual needs.
Local communities of borderland areas of Greece: specifically, the educational communities (schools, kindergartens, libraries, children's creative centers) and health structures (hospitals, health centers, etc.).
Through the project implementation in the area Evros in 2019-2021, it is estimated that more than 2,000 children were supported as well as their families, in addition to the general population serving the public hospitals of Alexandroupolis and Didymoteicho, and the Health Center of Dikaia.
• -"Association of Friends of People with Disabilities of Soufli - Nima Zois"
•- Community Center of the Municipality of Alexandroupolis
• -Center for Social Protection and Solidarity of the Municipality of Didymoteicho
•- Municipality of Didymoteicho
•- Municipality of Soufli
•- Municipality of Alexandroupolis
• -Municipality of Orestiada
• -Athens & Psychiko College
•- Private sector companies as sponsors
• -Private sector companies as suppliers
• -Alexandroupolis Hospital
• -Didymoteicho Hospital
• Health Center at Dikaia
•-45 school and educational units (schools, nurseries and kindergartens, special KDAP schools and libraries) in the prefecture of Evros
7 employees and 7 administrative volunteers and volunteers in the field of science participated from TFC. Additionally, more than 1,000 volunteers participated in actions implemented in schools.
TFC developed a strong network comprising of both local and organizations from various parts of Greece in order to establish sustainable synergies for the future.
It is worth noting that the great publicity received by the project helped significantly its development. More than 50% of the collaborations developed by TFC are due to the publicity received by the project. These are organizations, institutions and foundations that learned about TFC's activities and connected with the aim of supporting them.
