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The HOME Project

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The HOME Project is a non-profit organization that provides comprehensive child protection services to unaccompanied refugee children and youth.

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𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬: Home is where warmth meets safety. It’s where you feel protected, empowered, and cared for. For thousands of unaccompanied refugee children who have been forced to flee everything they know, that feeling has been missing. Until they arrive at The HOME Project.

Every day, across our 13 homes in Athens, quiet moments of transformation unfold. Through our comprehensive child protection model, we help children overcome trauma, access education, and grow into confident, independent citizens.

With your support, we can help even more children reclaim their childhood and take charge of their future.

Because everything starts at HOME. 🏡💛✨

Join us today by clicking the link in our bio.

𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀:

Producer: Loukas Valentis @whiteroom_athens
Director: Konstantinos Stagkikas
Dop: Tasos Chatzis
Focus Puller: Giorgos Talianis
Electrician: Fotis Zaminos
Art Director: Alexandra Kapsi
Production Assistant: Jason Siadimas
Production Manager: Yasmine Mevoy
Editing: Dimitris Vatsios
Color Grading: Dimitris Karteris
Sound Design: Yellowgroove
VO: Jerome Calouta @jerome_kaluta
Post Production: The End
Copyrighter: Dimitra Zakinithinou
Client: The HOME Project

#TheHOMEProject #ChildProtection #RefugeeChildren #Integration #Empowerment #NoChildAlone #SafeHome #SupportRefugees #GiveHope #EveryChildMatters by @homeprojectorg

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10 months ago

𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗢 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡: As Greece faces a rapidly aging population and growing labor shortages in key sectors, a new report by The HOME Project underscores the urgent need for a national child protection and integration policy for unaccompanied refugee children.

Greece will need over 750,000 new workers by 2050. Across Europe, the number exceeds 50 million. Instead of seeking labor abroad through costly and difficult-to-implement bilateral agreements, Greece should invest in the thousands of young people already living in the country. With the right support, they can - and have - become driven students, skilled professionals, and active citizens. 📚 🛠️ 🎓 💼

We are urging Greece to take action by linking protection to opportunity through child protection, education, vocational training, and access to employment.

“Integration isn’t a threat - it’s a necessary investment for our collective future and the prosperity of our society”, says Sofia Kouvelaki, Chief Executive Officer of The HOME Project.

🔗 Read the full report via the link in our bio.

Cover Photo: Umar Hafeez

#ChildProtection #RefugeeYouth #IntegrationNow #SocialInclusion #TheHOMEProject #NoChildAlone #WorldRefugeeDay #InternationalDayforRefugees by @homeprojectorg

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a year ago

𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗬𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘: “Establishing our homes in the heart of Athens was a conscious choice from the very beginning. We wanted the city itself to become an integral part of our child protection intervention, not only as a pathway to inclusion, but as a living space for interaction, participation and connection. A place where children can engage with the community around them, develop a sense of belonging and, ultimately, grow into active citizens”.

Our Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sofia Kouvelaki, shared this perspective during “IS IT ME IN THE CITY”, organized by @eutopia_artandtherapy with the support of @opanda.gr.

Sofia joined Chara Vlastari-Diovouniotou, psychologist at @klimala_ngo’s Suicide Prevention Day Center, Charalampos Vazoukis, President of @e.d.p.e_greece, and Anastassis Spiliadis, psychologist and systemic psychotherapist, in a discussion moderated by Lucia Apostolidi (@la_loukenia). Together, they explored different perspectives on community, human connection, belonging, loneliness and isolation. 🏙️🏠💬

At The HOME Project, we believe that protecting a child goes beyond providing a safe home. It means creating the conditions for children to participate in the world around them, build meaningful relationships and find their place within the communities they are part of.

Photo Credit: Panos Parthenis, Vasia Anagnostopoulou

#TheHOMEProject #AmplifyingOurVoice #NoChildAlone #ChildProtection #Inclusion #Belonging #Community #HumanConnection #IsItMeInTheCity #OPANDA #CityofAthens by @homeprojectorg

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3 days ago

𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: In light of the International Day of the Girl Child, we celebrate the courage, determination, and limitless potential of the girls growing up in our homes and around the world.

At The HOME Project, we believe that every girl deserves more than safety. She deserves to be heard, to have opportunities, to make her own choices, and to pursue her dreams without limitations.

Through protection, education, mental health care, legal support, and opportunities for personal growth, we stand beside the girls in our care as they discover their strengths, build their confidence, and take meaningful steps toward independence. This includes teenage mothers, whom we support in continuing their own journeys while caring for their children.

Because empowering a girl is not about deciding what her future should look like. It is about giving her the support, opportunities, and freedom to shape it for herself. ✨💛

Photo Credit: Panos Parthenis, Constantin Papakonstantinou

#InternationalDayOfTheGirl #InsideOurShelters #TheHOMEProject #GirlsRights #ChildProtection #Empowerment #NoChildAlone #GirlPower by @homeprojectorg

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3 days ago

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗛 𝗗𝗔𝗬: At The HOME Project, mental health is at the heart of our Child Protection Model, with support tailored to each child's unique needs.

From play, art, dance, music, cinema, horse riding, and time in nature to specialized psychiatric care for children facing complex mental health challenges, we create different pathways for children to express themselves, process their experiences, build resilience, and heal. 🎨🎶🌿

Caring for children also means caring for those who support them. Through regular interdisciplinary counselling, we help our team navigate the emotional demands of their work, protect their wellbeing, and prevent burnout, so they can continue providing the consistent, compassionate care every child deserves.

Because mental health support is not a single intervention. It is a core component of what we do, every day.

#WorldMentalHealthDay #TheHOMEProject #NoChildAlone #ChildProtection #MentalHealthMatters #ChildWellbeing #CareInAction by @homeprojectorg

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6 days ago

𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: Sports hold a special place in the lives of the children in our care, giving them a chance to have fun, release their energy, build confidence, and develop discipline. ⚽❤️💪

As the new season kicks off, teenagers from our shelters are back on the pitch with Athinais FC, joining mixed teams alongside other young people from across Athens.

On the field, differences fade into the background, replaced by teamwork, shared goals, and the universal language of the game. Beyond the pitch, these connections grow into friendships and a stronger sense of belonging to the community around them.

#TheHOMEProject #InsideOurShelters #NoChildAlone #ChildProtection #RefugeeChildren #Integration #Football #Sports #AthinaisFC by @homeprojectorg

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9 days ago

𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗬𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘: What makes a city feel like home?

Our Chief Operating Officer, Stelios Vellis, joined the panel discussion “Safe and Inclusive Communities for Young People”, organized by @kmop_org, alongside Marilena Maragkou, Co-Founder & COO of @youthmakershub, and Aggeliki Ntoula, Psychologist and Head of @connectyourcity, and moderated by Charis Kataki, Researcher at KMOP.

At The HOME Project, child protection goes beyond providing a safe home. Through education, sports, arts and culture, community activities, and opportunities to connect with their peers, we support the children in our care to build relationships, discover their interests, and become active and equal members of the community around them. 🎓⚽🎨🎭

“A city starts to feel like your own when you have your school, your friends, your team, your favorite places, and your own memories within it. That is what belonging looks like”, Stelios shared.

#TheHOMEProject #AmplifyingOurVoice #NoChildAlone #ChildProtection #Inclusion #YouthParticipation #RefugeeChildren #YouthEmpowerment #CommunityBuilding #KMOP #YouthMakersHub #ConnectAthens by @homeprojectorg

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11 days ago

𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗘 𝗡𝗢𝗪: The HOME Project has been selected to participate in the @realefoundation’s “Together 4 a Better World 2026” contest! 🌍✨🗳️📚❤️

With your vote, you can help us provide additional, dedicated educational support to the youngest children under our care, aged 5–12 years old, helping them build essential language and academic skills, thrive at school, and gain the confidence and tools they need to build their future.

🔗 Please vote through the link in our bio and help us make it happen.

Photo Credit: Panagis Diakrousis

#TheHOMEProject #NoChildAlone #RealeFoundation #Together4ABetterWorld #Education #ChildProtection #RefugeeChildren #Inclusion #EqualOpportunities #VoteNow by @homeprojectorg

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15 days ago

𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗦: Haseeb arrived in Greece alone in 2020, at the age of 16, after fleeing Pakistan. He spent several years in Turkey before eventually crossing into Greece through Evros river. His first months in the country coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, when he stayed in a safe zone in Filippiada and strict restrictions significantly limited everyday life. “We could not go out. We were inside the safe zone with, I think, more than 300 people”, he remembers. “It was like a prison”.

After moving to Athens and eventually being placed in one of The HOME Project shelters, life began to feel different. For Haseeb, the shelter became a place where he could find stability and people he could turn to. “They helped me a lot. Especially my social worker. She took me to doctors and to the psychologist many times. That was the most important thing for me, knowing that I had people on my side”, he says.

After turning 18, Haseeb began working in different kitchens, gradually building his skills and discovering his passion for cooking. Today, he works as a commis chef at a five-star hotel near Athens International Airport. Alongside his work, he is investing in his education. With support from The HOME Project, he secured a scholarship to study Business Administration at University of the People (UoPeople). “It could help me work in bigger restaurants, bigger hotels, in better positions. I believe I can combine my studies with my cooking experience”, he explains.

🔗 Read his full story at the link in our bio.

#OurVoices #TheHOMEProject #NoChildAlone #ChildProtection #RefugeeChildren #Integration #Belonging #Community #Education #YouthEmpowerment by @homeprojectorg

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16 days ago

𝗢𝗕𝗔𝗠𝗔-𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗞𝗬 𝗩𝗢𝗬𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦: Nine young people, nine different journeys, one shared commitment to public service. 🌍💛✨

This summer, we had the privilege of welcoming nine Voyager Scholars to The HOME Project: Enock from @ballstateuniversity, Jacqueline from @hwscolleges, Jenna from @uva, Juliane from @tulaneu, Megan from @dukeuniversity, Rebecca from @howard1867, Sydney from @swarthmorecollege, Scout from @wesleyan_u, and Carlos from @illinois1867.

Coming from different academic backgrounds and bringing their own experiences, interests, and perspectives, they spent part of their summer volunteering across our network of 13 shelters for unaccompanied refugee children.

At the heart of the experience was something that goes beyond volunteering: human connection and mutual learning. Meaningful public service is not only about what we give, but also about our willingness to listen, learn, challenge our assumptions, and allow the people and communities we meet to shape how we see the world.

We are grateful to all nine Voyagers for choosing to make The HOME Project part of their Summer Voyages, and to the @ObamaFoundation for its continued collaboration and trust. It is a relationship that holds particular meaning for us, as our Founder and CEO, Sofia Kouvelaki (@sokouvel), was selected as a 2020 Obama Foundation Leader in the inaugural Leaders: Europe program, joining a community of changemakers committed to advancing the common good.

Co-founded by former U.S. President @BarackObama, @MichelleObama, and @BChesky, Co-Founder and CEO of @Airbnb, the Voyager Scholarship for Public Service facilitates opportunities for students to refine their values-based leadership approach, build bridges across communities, and nurture their sense of curiosity as they deepen their commitment to pursuing public service careers.

Filming: Panos Parthenis
Editing: Angeliki Maria Gerente @angelina_grdesign

#Voyager #VoyagerScholarship #TheHOMEProject #ObamaFoundation #PublicService #GlobalCitizenship #YouthLeadership #NoChildAlone #ObamaCheskyScholarship #Airbnb by @homeprojectorg

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18 days ago

𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬: Teenagers from our shelters stepped into the playful world of @museumofillusions_athens, where nothing is quite what it seems. 👀✨❤️

Optical illusions, impossible rooms and mind-bending exhibits turned an afternoon in Athens into a shared experience full of laughter, discovery and surprise.

Activities like this are an important part of everyday life at our shelters: creating opportunities for the children in our care to explore their city, enjoy new experiences together and simply have fun.

#TheHOMEProject #NoChildAlone #DiscoveringOurCity #ChildProtection #RefugeeChildren #SocialInclusion #Integration #MuseumOfIllusions #MuseumOfIllusionsAthens by @homeprojectorg

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21 days ago

𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: Music starts, bodies begin to move, and the room changes. 💃🎶✨

Dance therapy is one of the ways children across our shelters experience the connection between physical and emotional wellbeing. Through rhythm, movement, balance, and coordination, they become more comfortable with their bodies, channel energy, release tension, and build confidence.

There is freedom in moving at your own pace, but also something powerful about finding a rhythm together. Following, leading, improvising, and moving as a group encourage cooperation and awareness of others, while creating moments of spontaneity, laughter, and shared joy.

For children whose lives have often been shaped by circumstances beyond their control, experiences that allow them to make choices, take up space, and feel comfortable in their own bodies can carry particular meaning. Through dance therapy, movement becomes an opportunity to strengthen wellbeing, confidence, and a sense of agency.

#TheHOMEProject #InsideOurShelters #ChildProtection #NoChildAlone #EverydayCare #DanceTherapy #HealingThroughMovement #MovementTherapy #PsychosocialSupport #ChildWellbeing by @homeprojectorg

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23 days ago