The accommodation shelter for Unaccompanied Minors of the “Synyparxis” of the Church of Greece, in Kypseli, was visited on Thursday morning (24/11) by a joint delegation of the Family Support Center (KESO) Ecclesiastical Foundation of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens and the Panhellenic Union of Optometrists (PEOO ) for optometric checks on 25 of the approximately 200 minor unaccompanied refugee children, who are accommodated in total, in four corresponding shelters in the capital and in neighboring municipalities of Athens.
The joint KESO-PEOO action was carried out with the blessings of His Beatitude Archbishop and President of KESO, Mr. Ieronymos, as well as Deputy President of the Ecclesiastical Foundation, His Holiness Metropolitan Fanariou, Mr. Agathangelos. And it is part of the self-financed initiatives, which the two agencies have developed together, during the last five years in State Penitentiaries, in Child Protection Institutions, in Metropolis Institutions for the disabled and most recently in critical areas.
Actions, which just the day before yesterday, received praise from the leadership of the Minister of Citizen Protection and come to underline through the gloomy current events, that all Non-Profit Organizations are not the same, but there are also bright exceptions, who bow down with love and consistency to children as God’s creatures, beyond religion, color, origins and beliefs.
The CESO team consisted of: Ms. Maria Tatari and His Eminence Archimandrite Fr. Athenagoras Soupourtzis members of the Board, the General Director Ms. Mary Pini, the ophthalmologist Ms. Anastasia Serepa member of the ISA, the Social Worker Ms. Irini Haireti and the Coordinator of the Skills Workshops Mr. Konstantinos Salevourakis.
The PEOO team consisted of: the Chairman of the Board Mr. Stelios Mylovas, the GG Ms. Panagiota Sideris, Mr. Giorgos Klados member of the Board and the opticians Sismanis Gerasimos, Galatis Giorgos and Nassou Rea, all members of PEOO.
The KESO-PEOO delegation was welcomed at the Kypseli shelters by the General Director of the specific Organization of the Church of Greece His Eminence Archimandrite Fr. Panteleimonas Papasynefakis along with his associates. After taking them on a tour of the modern exemplary facilities of the shelter, they were informed about its operation mode and conveyed the thanks of the Venerable President of the Synyparxis Metropolitan of Iliou, Mr. Athenagoras.
KESO, outside the initiative of the action, transferred from its Social Grocery Store to “Synyparxis” for all hosted children under its protection, items of personal hygiene, nutrition, clothing, footwear, as well as carpets for the needs of the hospitality shelters.
After the end of the action, the General Director of the shelters His Holiness Archimandrite Fr. Panteleimonas Papasynefakis addressed the children and told them that “you may have missed school today, but you won with the examination that was done by the doctor Ms. Anastasia Serepa and the Opticians, members of the Panhellenic Union of Opticians”.
“KESO has already brought some things as gifts for you, which will be shared with you. Many thanks to the Management of KESO and its General Director Ms. Pini, as well as to the President of PEOO Mr. Stelios Mylovas, the Bureau of the Union, as well as the opticians, for this nice action, to come to us and carry out optometric checks ».
Afterwards, Fr. Panteleimon did not fail to thank the interpreters, who helped in the entire process. And also gave gifts to the President of PEOO and the General Director of KESO with a picture of the Refugee Christ, while the other members of the PEOO-KESO delegation were offered a commemorative mug.
The President of PEOO, Mr. Stelios Mylovas, thanked the shelter of Unaccompanied Minors “Synyparxis” of the Church of Greece, as well as the KESO, which mediated, so that today’s action could be implemented and promised that in such exemplary visits, if required, PEOO will respond positively.
At the end, the Director of KESO Ms. Mary Pini thanked Fr.Panteleimonas for the hospitality and acceptance recarding Synyparxis, as well as the members of the shelter and especially Ms. Vamvoura for the process of the preparations, which were required, with the aim of implementing the present visit.
