A new study by the Prolepsis Institute shows how Greece’s economic crisis has adversely impacted children’s lives in the country. According to the report, Almost 50% of students, especially those residing in less-favored areas of the country are facing food insecurity.
Furthermore, one out of six students is facing physical health problems and one out of four is facing emotional health problems. The prolonged socio-economic crisis is increasing the problem of food insecurity and enhances unhealthy eating habits in thousands of children, the study found.
While concurrently gathering data, the institute has running a program called “Diatrofi” or nutrition, since the 2012-13 school year, targeting underprivileged areas of Greece. To date, 11 million meals have been distributed to 450 schools and 75,000 students.
For the current school year the program will distribute food to the regions of Attica, Thessaloniki, Imathia and in the region of Thrace. Funds are available to support only 100 schools for this school year (equalling 7,500 students), however, according to a press release from the institute, more than 2,000 schools have applied for the meal program— a number equivalent to more than a quarter of a million students in need of nutritional support.
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation is the founding donor of the Program since its launching and is supporting this year’s Program with a donation of €2.5 million in total. From this amount, €1 million will be used directly for the needs of the Program while the rest will be given as matching funds. Thus for every €100,000 gathered from other donors the SNF will be donating an equal amount of money.
The findings of the study were released in a press report on October 12, 2015 by the institute here.
