Empower Athens' Displaced people through community

Dear Friend,

Greetings and warm regards from all of us at the We Need Books Library. We trust that your summer was restful and enjoyable for you and your loved ones.

With the summer almost behind us and as we repoened the Library after a brief summer break, we write to you with a heavy heart. Greece has been going through difficult times as wild fires in July and August burnt in several parts of the country including the Athens metropolitan area. In the north, the forest of Dadia, a significant biodiversity ecosystem not just for Greece but for the whole of Europe, ceased to exist. And most recently heavy rains flooded a large part of the Thessaly region destroying entire villages and devastating people, crops, livestock and wildlife. The devastation has left thousands of internally displaced people. Recovery from this catastrophe will take time and the aftermath will be felt for a long time. And things are not any better in the rest of the world. 

It is impossible not to feel shocked and afraid, not to want to hide from everything. 

During this trying time it’s hard to focus on the successes of our work, and to even ask for support for our programs. But no matter what daunting challenges and hardships we face, we should keep moving forward.

Prior to the brief summer break, we oversaw the successful completion of the “Help Children Thrive” after school tutoring program that the Library run during the academic year 2022-2023. The program was made possible with a grant from the SNFoundation. Fifty two primary school students benefited greatly as attested by their parents and teachers. Unfortunately, the program was not renewed, due to lack of funding. Quite disappointed, but thinking of the young students, we are actively seeking volunteer teachers to continue the program.

We have applied for several grants in the areas of gender equality, mental health and democratic values and expect to share with you good news in our next report.

But we cannot close this report without sharing with you the story of Demba who came to Greece from Mali a few years ago as an unaccompanied minor. After living in the notorious Moria refugee camp and then on the streets of Athens, and not speaking a word of Greek, he was given shelter by an NGO, who enrolled him to school. This past spring he sat and was successful in the Greek university entrance exams and was admitted into the French Philology Department of the National Kapodistrian University of Athens! Demba used the Library as a safe studying space to prepare for the exam and during that time we got to know him and appreciate his character and intellect. In these difficult times he fills us with hope and couldn't be more proud of him!