“In 2013, we read the signs and got prepared to receive the huge wave of refugees fleeing the Syrian War.”

Now, there are over 70,000 displaced people in Greece.

“Humanitarian Initiative Bridges started for such a time as this.”

– ILIAS ANTOUAN + VOULA CHAMPERIDOU - ANTOUAN

Founders of Bridges

ABOUT BRIDGES

Humanitarian Initiative Bridges is a civil company non-profit organization registered in Athens, Greece in 2014. We assist and offer services in Arabic, Kurdish, and Farsi languages to displaced individuals and families.

We envision to create "bridges" with other NGOs, agencies, the asylum offices, the Greek Ministry, individuals, local communities, churches, and professionals with the goal to bring together different stakeholders to give a voice to the voiceless and support the human rights on their behalf. We believe in raising awareness on a local and international level regarding the issues facing displaced individuals and the rights of refugees. "We are only one war away from their position."

Here at Humanitarian Initiative Bridges, we seek to address the displaced individuals that arrive in Greece with a holistic approach. In doing this, we recognize the various levels of needs that we all have – physical, psychological, social, and spiritual. We are deeply persuaded that unless we gradually reach the satisfaction of all of these needs, we shall never serve this population adequately and shall never help them to be integrated.

Having this heart, we offer legal information, access to the asylum office, Skype, counseling, social services, and distribution of goods. Our passion is that no person would leave from Bridges without experiencing that their life is precious and they can start from the beginning!

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Ilias and Voula never imagined that they would be giving up their careers to dedicate their lives serving displaced individuals and families.

read their story

Meet Our Team

Voula Champeridou-Antouan

Greece, Founder & Legal Representative

Ilias Antouan

Syria, Founder & Interpreter

Anna Kalognomou

Greece, Administrator

Christina Chamilothori

Greece, Administrator

Waill

Syria, Maintenance

Shamal Mahrefat

Iran, Interpreter

Khalil Tah Bash

Syria, Interpreter

Abdu

Syria, Youth Leader

ACCMR MEMBER

Humanitarian Initiative Bridges is a member of ACCMR, the Athens Coordination Center for Migrants and Refugees, created by the Municipality of Athens in response to the unprecedented number of migrant and refugee arrivals fleeing conflict since 2015. The initiative aims at the efficient coordination between the municipal authorities and stakeholders operating within the city, such as national and international NGOs, international organizations, and migrant and refugee community groups. Bridges participates in ACCMR to aid in reaching the mutual goal of shaping the necessary conditions for the smooth integration of migrants and refugees currently living in the city of Athens, but also for dealing with emergency situations linked with future migration flows.

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