“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!
Ilias and Voula never imagined that they would be giving up their careers to dedicate their lives serving displaced individuals and families.
Meet Our Team
Ilias Antouan
Syria, Founder & Interpreter
Anna Kalognomou
Greece, Financial Analyst & Administrator
Voula Champeridou-Antouan
Greece, Founder & Legal Representative
Adriana Alexopoulou
Greece, Case Worker
Ioanna Papachrysanthou
Greece, Social Worker
Shamal Mahrefat
Iran, Interpreter
Abdu
Syria, Interpreter
Hamid Mortaz
Iran, Interpreter
Aso Qadir
Iraq, Interpreter
Waill
Syria, Maintenance
Karrar Al-Hamadani
Iraq, Distributions Volunteer
Asal Hajivandi
Iran, Women's Volunteer
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.