January 10, 2012
In the story published today, the BBC recounts the story of a four-year-old kindergartner who was left with her teacher, with the following note:
“I will not be coming to pick up Anna today because I cannot afford to look after her. Please take good care of her. Sorry. Her mother.”
In an interview with the BBC, a young Orthodox priest who runs a youth centre in Athens said that he, too, has seen an increase in the number of children dropped off at the shelter.
“Over the last year we have hundreds of cases of parents who want to leave their children with us – they know us and trust us,” father Antonios said. “They say they do not have any money or shelter or food for their kids, so they hope we might be able to provide them with what they need.”
However, this trend seems to be concentrated mainly in Athens, where traditional family and neighbourhood ties are diluted.
Charity associations in Greece believe that the Mediterranean country’s economic crisis has not only resulted in a higher number of Greeks living in poverty and losing their jobs, but it has also altered the welfare system of the country.
(with information from BBC, Business)
