“The arms of a mother can hold many children.” This is exactly what 43-year-old Elena understood, who, along with her husband, became the adoptive parents of a 5-year-old girl from the Congo. The couple, who have been together since their student days, already have two children of primary school age. “We wanted to expand our family, and our children also asked for a younger brother,” says Elena “K”.. “After talking with my gynecologist, I realized that I can get pregnant, but it will be a burden on my body.” At the same time, Elena and Vassilis, lawyers by profession, were concerned about cases of child abuse in and outside institutions that have recently been reported. “We thought that no matter what happens, we can offer shelter, food, care and love to another child,” explains Vassilis.

When Elena first visits the building, she has great anticipation, Vasilis is nervous. “The first time we were swinging, the second time we were walking and eating out, the little girl was quite open, it was easy to strike up a conversation.” Destiny shares the same birthday as Elena – “for me it was the first good omen.” A 5-year-old visits the house last November. “At first she was a little hesitant and the kids were upset because she didn’t want to play with them,” Elena recalls, “but she quickly relaxed.” On February 1, she moves into their house – she has since shared a room with the family’s biological daughter. “She greatly admires her as a grown woman and listens to her,” Vasilis describes, “she is gentle with her brother, hugs him a lot.” Elena takes parental leave from the government agency where she works to devote time to a new member. “Every morning I cook her and take her to kindergarten, where our other two children also went,” she says. “The reception from the teachers and children was touching, from the first week she was invited to parties.” The couple signed an appropriate contract with the structure, but there is no shortage of litigation, since Destiny does not have documents for legalization. The prospect of a possible separation worries the children, “imagine that he is standing at the door with a suitcase in his hand, greeting us,” they tell their mother. “I tell the kids that we take her as long as necessary, but there are members of her biological family in other parts of the world,” Elena says.

“We wanted to expand our family and our kids wanted a little brother too.”

“The first time she called us mom, we will never forget her.” For about three months, 6-year-old Sahin from Sri Lanka shares his daily life between child proof design and from contractors from. Every Friday, he says goodbye to his guardians and heads home, where ice skates and dinosaurs are waiting for him. “When I got a call from the Juvenile and Youth Protection Association to let us know that a connection had been established with a child they had adopted, I couldn’t believe my ears,” Sophia says “K”. More than 2.5 years have passed, during which Sophia and Maria, who are self-employed and have entered into a cohabitation agreement, having gone through all the necessary stages of the process, have been waiting for the “green” light to become foster mothers. “I made several attempts to get pregnant using donor genetic material, but they were not successful,” explains the 42-year-old woman. “It was then that we started talking about it and realized that we were interested not so much in the genetic connection with the child as in love,” she emphasizes. “I put myself in the shoes of any child who grew up in a residential institution and realized how much he would like to have his own family and his own home,” adds Maria, who, as a member of a large family, has a lot of experience with children. “I have seven nieces and nephews and three ‘grandchildren’ who grew up with me.” On the first visit, 6-year-old Shaheen hides in the hands of a guardian for the first ten minutes, but gradually begins to give his toys to the two women. “Although he has had a difficult time, he is a child who connects and trusts. We have prepared a room for him and are waiting for the decision of the prosecutor on his permanent settlement,” says Sofia, who is planning her new life.

“For us, Mother’s Day is the day we try to get through because a lot of kids don’t have parents at all.” says Mrs. Dimitra Adamantidou “K”., general manager of SMAN (Association for the Care of Minors and Youth), to which the structure of House 2 belongs. The structure, where Shaheen and Destin lived for several months, is funded by grants from the EEA and Norway under the II “Asylum” program. and immigration. There are 16 children under the age of 12 who come from families with refugee status or were removed from their biological families by decision of the prosecutor’s office. Of these, eight have joined parenting and adoption platform Anynet since July last year. “Four of them are finally connected, there are people who want to take care of them.” Expanding the criteria that applicants must meet, such as age, has greatly increased the chances for all children. “We work equally with children who are about to leave, and with those who are less likely to get into a foster family due to age,” explains Mr. Lefkotea Stavrinakisocial worker in the structure.