A Kindergarten has changed with the aim of improving the care of children who experience family difficulties.
Since 2007, the Association “Friends of the Child” has established and operated a Model Kindergarten, and since 2021 it has also begun operating a nursery school housed in the same premises, in the center of Athens. This facility serves children who are in difficult family circumstances.
The magical quality of this Kindergarten is that it is not merely a place of education. It also functions as a second “home” for the children. On a daily basis, the staff provides education while at the same time caring for the children by covering their most basic living needs, such as nutrition, personal hygiene, provision of clothing, medical care, play, etc.
The substantial contribution of the Kindergarten to children experiencing severe family difficulties led the Association “Irene”, within the framework of our cooperation to support the member associations of the union “Together for Child”, to respond dynamically to the needs that arose in the Kindergarten building.
The problems faced by the Kindergarten were significant. The sanitary facilities of the Kindergarten did not comply with the new specifications for the operation of Child Protection Units, which aim to ensure the protection of privacy. In addition, the entrance door was of an old type and did not guarantee the complete security of the building. The internal door was also old and vulnerable to adverse weather conditions. The Association “Irene” stepped in to provide solutions and address these needs, placing at the center the needs and particularities of children of this age. Furthermore, a key priority was to facilitate the work of the staff.
In this project, we initially undertook, at our own expense, the implementation of the renovation of the Kindergarten’s bathrooms. Separate WC facilities were created in order to meet the relevant specifications, and the installation of a new shower cabin and mixer tap was carried out in the staff bathroom. In addition, using our own financial resources and supervision, we carried out the procurement and installation of two doors essential for the modernization of the Kindergarten. A modern reinforced entrance door was installed, as well as a sturdy metal internal door connecting to the rear garden.
Our Association focused on two goals. The first was to ensure that the Kindergarten could continue its operation in compliance with the new official specifications for Child Protection Units. Our second goal was to provide better conditions for our little friends, with fully renovated sanitary facilities and the new doors we donated.
Our goals were achieved. The space has changed, and with it, the daily life of the children. Their day is now safer, fresher, and more carefree! Because care becomes reality through actions.
Total Project Budget: €24,288.03
