UNICEF and Star Bulk on the side of women and children from Ukraine

The UNICEF Greece Country Office joined forces with Star Bulk, one of the largest shipping companies with offices across the country, to implement a programme aimed at providing psychosocial support to Ukrainian women and their children who fled their country due to the war and are now living in Athens.

The two organizations, in collaboration with Melissa-Network of Migrants in Greece, proceeded to develop an innovative approach with a key focus on the empowerment of women and children who arrived in our country from Ukraine, with Star Bulk contributing substantially to the implementation of this important program through a financial donation.

The focus of the programme is to enhance the mental health of newly arrived refugees from Ukraine - mainly women and children - through group psychotherapy sessions, structured psychosocial activities and individual counselling.

More specifically, through this intervention, women receive appropriate support in order to cope with the pain and trauma of the war, but also to empower themselves to be able to correspond to their children's needs. In addition, they receive appropriate information on how to protect themselves from violence and exploitation. At the same time, children are supported to strengthen their mental resilience and to learn skills that will enable them to better adapt to the new social and school environment in Greece.

Myrsini Kazakou, Child Protection Specialist at the UNICEF Greece Country Office states:

"The trauma faced by people fleeing their country due to war is still unresolved, and there are many risks for these women and children when they arrive in Greece. Therefore, access to empowerment activities and psychosocial support, as well as to legal information, are necessary steps for their protection.

"UNICEF has been at the side of children and their families since the beginning of the war, in cooperation with the Greek government, monitoring their evolving needs in the country. The programme we are implementing with Melissa and with the significant support of Star Bulk is part of this framework.

Georgia Fardellou, Star Bulk's Operational & Strategic Projects Manage , also said:

"As part of our social responsibility strategy, Star Bulk supports vulnerable groups in Greece every year. It is therefore with great pleasure that we support this programme, wanting to contribute as much as we can to the rapid integration of these people in our country and their smooth transition to this new reality for them."