EVANGELOS (GREECE)

Volunteered From FEBRUARY 2019 TO SEPTEMBER 2019

2019 I met Stephany when I was doing my CELTA course in Athens. As I got to know her better, I learned about the amazing work that she had been doing at Habibi Center. I was truly touched and astonished by her drive and sense of self-denial. I began volunteering at the Center shortly after I finished the course. During the six months that were to follow I was exposed to a reality that exceeded my expectations. I soon realized that what Stephany was offering to her students transcended the notion of mere English lessons. She was providing a sense of much needed structure and normality for the lives of so many students who had these taken away from them at such a young age. Habibi Center serves as a refuge in its own right. A place where refugee youth can feel at home and are encouraged to express themselves through language and various art forms. For many students it has been a point of reference from which they were able look towards the future with purpose and ambition. Stephany and Alex have been teachers as well as mentors for their students. At the Center, I have seen firsthand the transformative and empowering effects of being treated not as a victim but as an equal. Students are respected but not coddled. They are expected to put in their work just like any other student. Volunteering at Habibi Center has been a humbling and inspirational experience. I feel grateful and honored to have been part of the Habibi Center family. Perhaps this is the most valuable lesson to take from Habibi Center: A relearning of one’s own potential. A leap from powerlessness to accountability. Thank you Habibi. Evangelos Rizopoulos