The story of THI is that of uniting Greeks from all over the world to serve a noble cause, helping Greece and its people to make a difference in shaping their future. Our invitation is “Oli Mazi”, a call asking all of us who love Greece and care for its people to join together for the sake of our precious homeland.
The story of “Emfasis” has a similar call. It is a story of connected dots, where THI played a role in bringing together support and friends from as close as Athens and as far away as Australia. “Emfasis” is a nonprofit founded to address the needs of many vulnerable and socially excluded groups (homeless, rough sleepers, etc) living mainly on the streets of Athens. It solves for their problems by applying the pioneering and innovative principles of social street work. “
Not long ago, back in 2014, THI started working indirectly with “Emfasis” via its ReGeneration internship program. Around 100 interns volunteered their time working side by side with the “Emfasis” team. Thousands of hours were provided by young and talented Greeks who, as they were kick-starting their careers, offered their support to society’s most vulnerable.
Lida Christou was one such ReGeneration intern who volunteered with Emfasis, until ReGeneration took her to Melbourne, as a one of the forty Greeks sponsored by THI Australia for a six-month internship down under! Lida spent 6 months working for Hickory Group, a large construction company. And upon her return in Greece, she volunteered again with “Emfasis” as her way of giving back for such an opportunity to work abroad.
This year THI Australia is directly supporting “Emfasis” with a grant from that will help them support the operations of the mobile visiting the people they care for in the streets of Athens. From Athens to Australia and back. The story of Emfasis through the eyes of Lida Christou is also the story of THI through the eyes of every one of you.