Here in Greece, people face extremely challenging situations of hunger, homelessness, insecurity and social exclusion.

In 2015, Greece was unprepared when it became the primary entry point for more than one million displaced people. With overburdened services, it left thousands of displaced people waiting for months or years in overcrowded, inhumane reception conditions.

Over the past years, the distribution of displaced people has shifted dramatically from the Aegean islands to mainland Greece. 2021 was the first year that more people entered Greece via land rather than sea borders making support on the mainland vital. Overall, 63% of people arrived by land compared to 38% in 2020, and just 1% in 2015 (according to UNHCR statistics).

In Athens, over the past years, the closure of inner city camps; the eviction of many squatted buildings housing displaced and homeless people in Athens in 2019; inflation; the closure of ESTIA housing scheme; and the movement of people from overcrowded camps on the Aegean islands to the mainland, has led to a situation of increased homelessness and abandonment in Athens. People are left in impossible situations, struggling to support themselves and their dependents.