The Victoria Community Centre | Athens

The Victoria Community Center remains a vital space of unity and support in Athens, strengthening connections and providing daily assistance to hundreds of people from more than 40 countries. Together with the other five partner organisations, we have become a cornerstone of support in Victoria. Our approach is holistic: through our social, legal, and medical services, as well as safe spaces for women and children and our community café, we strive to respond to the diverse needs of everyone who walks through our doors.

Since July, we've welcomed over 10,000 visitors to our center. Thanks to our partnerships, we distributed over 7,500 hot meals and served around 13,500 hot drinks. In addition, we supported women by providing around 19,000 diapers and around 8,000 sanitary pads.

The project keeps running smoothly, with new people joining our center every day alongside those who visit regularly. In the café, days pass by quickly, between cards and chess games. Initiatives such as English and Greek classes, as well as CV workshop activities, have been very successful. Thanks to these services, more than 10 beneficiaries found employment in the past month alone. In recent months, people have also benefited from the great work of our barber, a beneficiary himself, who kindly offered free haircuts on our rooftop. 

In the Women’s Space, the dedication and passion of our volunteers have made a wide variety of activities possible, ranging from sewing and crochet classes to a German and math club for children. The weekly Beauty Day on Fridays continues to be one of the women’s favorite activities, offering a moment of comfort and self-care. The Greek classes have also been particularly successful, bringing together many motivated women happy to learn.

The past months have also been full of joyful community events. During the Refugee Week in late June, we gathered with more than 120 people, sharing delicious food and enjoying live music thanks to the support of wonderful partners.  In August, we organised a Beach Day for women and children. For many of the women, who had not been able to go to the beach alone or without children for years, this simple outing carried a deep meaning. Sharing the experience together fostered a sense of community and created a safe space where everyone could look after one another.

In September, we hosted two more special events. El Sistema Greece performed a rooftop concert during lunchtime, accompanied by drinks and snacks. We also enjoyed a magical evening watching the football match between Burkina Faso and Egypt together, complete with snacks, drinks, and a small auction with fun prizes for participants. Moments like these are especially meaningful for people on the move, offering joy, social interaction, and a brief escape from daily struggles.

We are looking forward to the next months, winter is approaching, and we aim to create a cozy environment, filled with warm coffees, shared moments and what characterises the center the most: a strong sense of community.

Thank you for all the donations, which make it possible for us to sustain and grow our projects and impact.