Archive note: This text comes from the old archive of Nomika Epilekta and is preserved with care for historical and informational reading.

Under the slogan “we are joining forces for 60 children, together we will make it”, The Smile of the Child announced the securing of two new homes in Aigio and Agrinio, able to house 60 children who must be removed immediately from their family environment. Thus The Smile of the Child calls on all of us to contribute to this new major nationwide effort for the protection and safety of these children. A huge mobilization has begun to find resources with the aim of staffing and operating the two new homes.

In the eleven homes already operated by The Smile of the Child, 284 children are hosted, always with specialized scientific staff by their side, who treat each child individually with love and respect. Two more homes are now being added to these. The home in Aigio is a private donation and will host forty children, while the home in Agrinio was granted by the Municipality of Agrinio and, thanks to the private initiative of companies and volunteers, is ready to host twenty children of various ages.

The enormous need for the operation of these two homes, and if possible even more, is confirmed by the statistics presented by the national telephone line for children “SOS 1056”, according to which, during the second half of 2012, compared with the corresponding period of 2011, there was a 60% increase in calls concerning requests for the accommodation of children at risk, a 22% increase in calls concerning reports of abuse/ neglect of children, on-site interventions, illegal trafficking. The Smile of the Child, with regret, in the period from 01/01/11 to 15/06/2012 rejected, due to lack of space, 1278 requests for accommodation.

Regarding the problems in the welfare sector and the concern of prosecutors over finding accommodation places for children at risk, the Athens Juvenile Prosecutor herself, Ms. Mylona, stated: “After research, I concluded that there is no better accommodation structure than The Smile of the Child” and the Deputy Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Mr. Makris, said that: “the way the homes of The Smile operate is the best thing happening in Greek society. The immediate operation of the two homes is imperative”.

Therefore, all those who wish to support this important effort by The Smile of the Child for the housing of the 60 children can send a message from a mobile phone, the word “χαμόγελο”, to 54020, charged at 2.46 euros per SMS, or call 14545, charged from a landline at 2.28 euros per call and from a mobile phone at 2.46 euros per call. For any other contribution, contact The Smile of the Child by telephone at 2103306140 or by sending an e-mail to info@hamogelo.gr.

For more information about the actions of The Smile of the Child, visit its website, http://www.hamogelo.gr, and the related article [Nomika Epilekta - The Smile of the Child in children’s hospitals].