by Rebecca Fox, volunteer at the Thessaloniki Solidarity Center

Hands-On Experience with Vulnerable Communities

As a postgraduate student in human rights and migration at the University of Macedonia, gaining hands-on experience with migrants, refugees, foreign nationals, and other vulnerable populations through volunteering at SolidarityNow and its Solidarity Center in Thessaloniki has allowed me to get valuable insight into the application of the migration policies and human rights frameworks I am studying. Primarily helping in children’s programs, I have witnessed the organization’s and UNICEF’s approach to children’s fundamental rights, especially regarding education and vulnerable situations such as international migration, refugee status, and displacement.

Since volunteering at SolidarityNow for the past year, I have seen how focusing on equitable access to education, training and learning opportunities, translation services, and childcare and support are to helping someone resettle, make a living, and adapt to a new culture and society.

From Houston to Thessaloniki: A Comparative Perspective

Coming from Houston, Texas, I was familiar with a very different migration policy landscape. The specific regulations, restrictions, timeframes, requirements, and trends of migration and allocation of refugee and asylum protection statuses shape decisions to migrate to Greece, the U.S., and other countries. Although primarily working with children, I have also witnessed the work of the social services, legal, and employability service offices at the Solidarity Center. These offices allow people in need to get the diapers, baby formula, food, clothing, toiletries, healthcare, legal status and documents, healthcare, employment, counseling, and other settlement and integration services. Relying on donations and low levels of international funding means the resources, labor, and capital of organizations like SolidarityNow are heavily strained and overburdened as migratory and refugee flows increase with rising global conflict, environmental degradation and natural disaster, and diminishing economic opportunities outside of industrial centers. While myself and other volunteers learn and play with children, parents can get help to navigate the bureaucracy and hurdles to legally moving, migrating, working, and residing somewhere.

Human Rights in Everyday Practice

This experience has reinforced how basic human rights underpin a humane and just migration system.

Rights to education, healthcare, housing, identity, and freedom of movement are constantly put into practice at the Center. Creating a safe space for children and other marginalized individuals to learn, socialize, and feel supported demonstrates the tangible impact of upholding international human rights standards.

By assisting with programming like English lessons and healthcare information sessions, I have seen how migration affects every aspect of people’s lives, including education, healthcare, childrearing, language, and financial situations. Ensuring rights to preventative health screenings, appropriate school enrollment for children, adequate translators throughout legal proceedings, and safe spaces to grow, learn, socialize, and get support are intrinsic to a fair and human rights-based migration framework.

Systemic Challenges and Lessons Learned

The issues or conflicts that often arise for vulnerable groups on the move like migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, trafficking victims, and displaced youth are the same logistical, administrative, and cultural issues that migrant communities often face worldwide. Language barriers, low literacy rates, lack of legitimate employment, long processing and waiting times in the legal arena, and separation from family and social support all complicate efforts to find permanent housing, employment, childcare, and other necessities.

The shortcomings or experiences of being failed, ignored, delayed, or lost are systemic failings of the migration framework in Greece, the EU, and worldwide, rather than a display of the consequences of recognizing human rights and encouraging free movement and diversity.

The inefficiency of the legal migration and asylum systems, lack of immediate infrastructure and systems to provide safety, care, and support to new arrivals and vulnerable populations, and under-resourced human rights efforts to empower and support marginalized groups cause people to be left in limbo and transient, unstable statuses as they wait for residency permits, employment approval, and other situational factors to change.

The Real Requests Vulnerable Women Bring to the Accounting Service

When navigating bureaucratic procedures, applications, requirements, and deadlines, all of us have at some point felt lost. Maybe a benefit we didn’t qualify for because we missed one criterion, or a deadline we didn’t meet because we weren’t informed in time.

But what is it like for women who are unfamiliar with these processes, who have no one to guide them on what they need to do or what they’re entitled to, who speak little or no Greek, or who lack digital skills?

The Accounting Service of the Thessaloniki Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow records daily conversations related to typical requests from women participating in the program “Livelihoods Unlocked: Empowering Women through Employment” and showcases the information, guidance, and practical support it provides.

“I gave birth to my first child recently. The woman who shared the hospital room with me received some money from the state. Why didn’t I?”

Unfortunately, you are not eligible for the childbirth benefit because you are an asylum seeker.

• “So if I had been granted status and had a residence permit, would I be eligible?”

Still no, because you would need to have been living legally in Greece for the past 12 years and to have submitted 12 timely tax returns. So the woman who stayed in the room with you may meet all these requirements—or may be a Greek citizen.

“I rented a house. Can I receive the housing benefit they give for rent?”

Have you submitted all your tax returns for the past 5 years?

• Yes.

Great. Does the rental contract have your name on it?

• Yes. I gave them all my papers and they did something, but I’m not sure what…

Logging into Taxisnet with your credentials, I don’t see any rental contract under your name. Who do you live with?

• With six other women. Some of them have children.

Do you have your ID with you?

• No… They’re holding it. They only gave me a photocopy.

I understand. But you should know that no one is allowed to keep your ID. It is your personal document, and you must always have it with you. Do you have a moment to speak with the Social Service?

“My electricity bill is too high. Can we do something to reduce it?”

I see that you have a residence permit and that the electricity bill is in your name, so you meet two basic criteria for the Social Tariff. However, you haven’t submitted a tax return, which is also required. We can file your tax return now and then submit the application.

• Thank you! I also have a friend who doesn’t have a residence permit but has an asylum card. Should I tell her to come too?

Unfortunately, asylum seekers are not eligible for the Social Tariff.

“I have two children. Am I entitled to the child benefit?”

I understand you’ve been living legally and permanently in Greece for the past 5 years, which is one basic requirement. Have you submitted all your tax returns on time?

• Three years ago, I missed the deadline and submitted the return one week late. Is that a problem?

Unfortunately, yes. All tax returns must be submitted within the deadline, so you are not eligible for the child benefit.

“I heard the government will refund some of the rent I’ve paid. Is that true?”

Yes, it has been announced that one month’s rent from 2024 will be refunded. A key requirement is that the rent must have been declared in your latest tax return, and your IBAN must be registered on Taxisnet.

• I don’t have an IBAN or a bank account. Can I open one?

To open a bank account, you need to have legal employment with a contract.

• I’m not working now because I have no one to look after my baby. Can’t they open a bank account so I can receive this benefit?

Unfortunately not.

“My home is very cold. Is there any assistance to pay for heating?”

I see you’ve submitted your tax return and meet the income criteria, so we can apply for the heating benefit. Is the electricity supply in your name?

• No, it’s in my housemate’s name.

Then you will either need to change the name on the electricity bill or your housemate will need to come for the application. What type of heating do you use?

• A wood stove.

Then you must upload proof of wood purchases to the system to receive the benefit. Can you do that?

• I don’t know how…

That’s okay. If you are eligible, we’ll book another appointment and do it together.

“I’m unemployed and don’t have money for food and clothes. Where can I get help?”

Our Social Service can refer you to other services that provide food and clothing, such as your municipality or the local Community Center.

These are only some of the requests the accounting service receives every day. Behind every question lies a need for stability, fairness, and equal access to social rights.

With a holistic approach and individualized support, the accounting service aims to empower each woman, helping her understand the procedures and make use of her rights. Because at the Thessaloniki Solidarity Center, accounting is not just a service, it is a step toward autonomy and social inclusion.

At SolidarityNow, we are collecting gifts again this year!
If you have toys in GOOD CONDITION that you no longer need, give them to us and we will offer them to children this holiday season!

Delivery until December 10:

Monis Petraki 4 (2nd floor) (near the Megaron Concert Hall)
10:00 – 17:30

Tel. 210 6772500, Email: contact@solidaritynow.org

Share the Toys, Share the Joy!

As part of the Refugee Week Festival 2025, five civil society organizations collaborated to map the emotional landscape of Athens through the experiences of people with refugee and migrant backgrounds.

47 adults answered questions about where they spend their time, where they feel safe, where they enjoy themselves, where they feel uncomfortable or uneasy, and which parts of the city they choose for relaxation.

Using the map of Athens as a tool, participants captured their personal experiences in relation to the city’s geography. The main benefit is reflection on personal experiences in space, as lived by people with refugee or migrant backgrounds.

At a glance: contradictions, multiplicity of voices, and diverse realities.

Most responses trace paths around Kypseli, Omonia, Viktoria, Syntagma, and Pedion tou Areos. This invites reflection on whether—and why—some neighborhoods are less accessible, or why others may become welcoming spaces or even potential ghettos.

• Kypseli appears as a place of everyday life and safety, while at the same time being described as an “unpleasant place.”
• Kypseli and Viktoria are the only areas statistically significant in terms of safety. Additionally, participants spend a lot of time in these two neighborhoods. Thus, the sense of safety is closely tied to familiarity.
• Omonia remains a central hub but also a space of insecurity.
• Pedion tou Areos continues to be the main choice for moments of calm.
• Viktoria stands out as an example: for some, it is a place of safety or where they spend a lot of time, while for many others, it is simultaneously a place of discomfort or an “unpleasant place.” A core refugee experience is the involuntary loss of familiar spaces, making the creation of new familiar spaces a pressing need in multiple ways. Therefore, building communities and supportive networks within a neighborhood is an expected outcome.
• A small but notable percentage (7%) reported feeling uncomfortable or unwelcome in “urban” areas like Kolonaki, reflecting the sense that one feels more like a stranger there. Within their own community, there is relative safety, but beyond it, insecurity begins.

This emotional map reflects a city that “speaks” differently to each community and invites us to rethink it not only as a sum of infrastructures but as a living organism shaped by our stories, routes, and the places that do, or do not, accommodate us. The map is available here (in greek).

Our personal experience:

As we went out into the streets to ask people, it became clear that every response was a unique story.

Some were in a hurry and answered almost instinctively, while others had just arrived in Athens and looked at the map with curiosity.

This is when you realize that the same space is never the same for everyone—each person carries their own experiences, memories, and emotions. This is what makes the “emotional map” so valuable: it is not merely geography, but a collective memory and feeling built from many personal moments.

Written by Anna Maria Vouzouneraki
 Employability Officer, SolidarityNow

As an employability counselor in the “Bridging the Gap” program, I often ask myself who truly bridges the gap between women from vulnerable social groups and the labor market?

The reality is that employment opportunities are not the same for everyone, especially when certain perceived vulnerabilities based on social and labor realities, such as economic precarity or, unfortunately, gender come into play.

Despite systemic challenges and obstacles though, the answer seems to always lead back to the same place: the woman itself. She is the one who builds the bridge.

She is the one who recognizes that she needs support and dares to ask for it. She is the one who courageously shares her journey, both its bright and dark moments. She is the one who acknowledges the skills she has already acquired and seeks to enrich them by attending courses, training programs, and career days.

With every effort and guided by her own determination, she constructs the bridge she will cross. With the guidance and encouragement of her counselor, she prepares for interviews, regains confidence in her abilities, and takes the first step toward professional empowerment.

Every woman considering counseling should remember: the strength to bridge the gap lies within herself.

*This program is implemented with the support of Alpha Bank.

The 4th cycle of the “Elements of Artificial Intelligence (AI)” project begins!  

The training takes place at the organization’s Solidarity Centers: 

• Thessaloniki Solidarity Center, I. Koletti 25D, One Salonica area 

• Athens Solidarity Center, Domokou 2, Larissa station 

Through the project, targeted AI training is provided to vulnerable Greek citizens, as well as to individuals with a migrant or refugee background. 

In Greece, SolidarityNow and Odyssea have been selected by the Centre for Public Impact to receive funding from the Google.org AI Opportunity Fund: Europe. The aim is to equip workers from vulnerable social groups with Artificial Intelligence knowledge and tools that are essential for their long-term professional success. 

Training Dates for Thessaloniki: 

• Monday, November 10, 2025 

• Monday, November 17, 2025 

• Monday, November 24, 2025 

• Monday, December 1, 2025 

The training dates for Athens will be announced soon. 

For more information and registration you may contact: cdotsa@solidaritynow.org or +30 2310 555266. 

Together We Achieve More: SolidarityNow & Mission Anthropos Standing by the Most Vulnerable

The Thessaloniki Solidarity Center (TSC) collaborates with the organization Mission ANTHROPOS, joining forces to strengthen access to healthcare for all, without discrimination. This partnership includes the implementation of two important programs, offering vital support to the beneficiaries of the Solidarity Center.

“We Embrace – Women 45+”

The goal of this program is to promote prevention and access to healthcare services for women aged 45 and above, coming from vulnerable social groups who cannot afford basic medical services. Through the program, participants receive free, comprehensive preventive medical check-ups, which include:

• Blood tests
• Pap smear test
• Digital mammogram
• Breast ultrasound
• Bone density measurement

This initiative highlights the importance of prevention, awareness, and early diagnosis, giving every woman the opportunity to care for her health with dignity and safety.

“We Support” Medical and Pharmaceutical Care for All

The “We Support” program aims to cover the medical and pharmaceutical needs of uninsured, economically vulnerable individuals — children and adults, Greeks, migrants, and refugees alike. It focuses on people who lack health insurance and cannot meet their medical needs. Beneficiaries are referred from various support agencies, such as Municipal Social Services, NGOs, hospitals, elderly care units, and other community structures.

Through the program, beneficiaries gain access to essential healthcare services, filling a critical gap for those at the margins of the healthcare system.

The Power of Collaboration

For many of the Solidarity Center’s beneficiaries, these two programs represent their only access to healthcare. The collaboration between SolidarityNow (through the Thessaloniki Solidarity Center) and Mission ANTHROPOS proves in practice that together is the answer to the challenges people face — and that solidarity in action means no one is left alone.
Our common goal: to stand beside everyone in need.

Mrs. N.’s Story

After receiving multiple rejections on her asylum claim, Mrs. N. suddenly found herself homeless, having to leave the refugee accommodation center where she had been living. Around the same time, she began experiencing serious health problems, with intense symptoms, while having completely lost access to medical care. When the social workers at the Solidarity Center met her, her symptoms were evident and required urgent investigation. The team immediately reached out to Mission ANTHROPOS, emphasizing the need for emergency medical intervention.

The response was immediate and life-changing. Through the “We Support” program, Mrs. N. underwent the necessary medical examinations, which led to a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. With the doctors’ guidance and the organization’s support, she began insulin treatment, significantly improving her health and quality of life.

Her story demonstrates the importance of cooperation between organizations and the power of timely intervention. Because every person, regardless of origin or legal status, deserves care, dignity, and health.

Mrs. H.’s Story: When Care Becomes Salvation

Mrs. H., a 29-year-old Palestinian mother of three, faced a severe complication after giving birth to her third child: a brain hematoma. Doctors recommended immediate MRI scans to monitor her condition. However, the cost of private examinations was unbearable, while the waiting time in public hospitals was far too long for such an urgent case.

“I first came to the Solidarity Center in 2022 to get help with my tax declaration. They assisted me with many issues where I needed support. The best thing that happened was that they found a way for me to have an MRI — one that saved my life. It all started during my pregnancy with my third child, when I began to feel unwell and had strange symptoms. I gave birth by C-section in the seventh month because my life and my baby’s were at risk. The diagnosis was a blood clot in my head — I was hospitalized for 25 days. After that, I needed a follow-up MRI, but the hospital wouldn’t take me through the emergency department, and appointments were months away. So, I decided to turn again to SolidarityNow.”

Amid anxiety and uncertainty, she was informed about the “We Support” program for uninsured patients. Thanks to this initiative, she was able to undergo all necessary tests on time, receive proper medical monitoring, and continue her treatment safely. Today, she is recovering and able to care for her children, something that might not have been possible without this support.

Her story reminds us that behind every act of solidarity, there is a life transformed, a family relieved, and a hope reborn.