Stories of Hope
Discover our ‘Stories of Hope’: Real-life accounts from our Teachers that inspire unity, resilience, and optimism for the future.
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SARAH (THE NETHERLANDS)
in TeachersSARAH (THE NETHERLANDS) Volunteered From JUNE 2022 TO AUGUST 2022 2022 Where to begin?! There is so much to tell! First of all, at Habibi Center I rediscovered why I love teaching so much. A feeling I kind of lost in my job in the Netherlands. Here, I returned to the core of teaching, where…
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AL-KWAKU (THE U.S.A)
in TeachersAL-KWAKU (THE U.S.A) Volunteered From MAY 2022 TO JUNE 2022 2022 My time at Habibi Centre was amazing! I had the time of my life. The teachers were amazing. But it was the students that really did it for me. I love and adore my students with all my heart. And watching their growth and…
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SARA (THE U.S.A)
in TeachersSARA (THE U.S.A) Volunteered From MAY 2022 TO JULY 2022 2022 I arrived in Athens in May and the students and teachers at the Habibi Center immediately stole my heart. Habibi Center was an amazing opportunity for me to teach in a different environment and use the skills I’ve learned during university. I even got…
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ELLEN (CANADA)
in TeachersELLEN (CANADA) Volunteered From APRIL 2022 TO JULY 2022 2022 After reflecting on my time as a volunteer, I certainly agree with all that has been said about the students – particularly how grateful and resilient they are. Smiles and laughter are common. What stood out for me, was (is) their optimism about the future.…
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NIEL (BELGIUM)
in TeachersNIEL (BELGIUM) Volunteered From FEBRUARY 2022 TO MAY 2022 2022 Ay ay Caramba! What a rollercoaster of beautiful experiences, friendships, learning, laughing and crying. An experience that blew me away and pulled me back up, just a little bit wiser than before. It was a dream to teach such motivated students. Every class we had…
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LAUREN (THE U.K.)
in TeachersLAUREN (THE U.K.) Volunteered From FEBRUARY 2022 TO MAY 2022 2022 It has been a real privilege to teach at Habibi Center for the last 3 months. The commitment from the students and other teachers was so inspiring, and it has been incredibly satisfying to see the personal progress and dedication. Each lesson for them…
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JOE (THE U.S.A)
in TeachersJOE (THE U.S.A) Volunteered From FEBRUARY 2022 TO APRIL 2022 2022 As I reached the end of my time teaching at the Habibi Center I was struck by how opportunities in life are oftentimes not recognized and acted upon, bypassing chances to enhance and improve our experiences as human beings in this world. That being…
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KATRINA (THE U.S.A)
in TeachersKATRINA (THE U.S.A) Volunteered From JANUARY 2022 TO MARCH 2022 2022 Habibi Center was the experience I had dreamed about for half of my life. The program they offer to children-teens is amazing, an extended helping hand where the need is not only desperate but crucial. Habibi provides comfort to so many without parents to…
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MICHAEL (THE U.K.)
in TeachersMICHAEL (THE U.K.) Volunteered From JANUARY 2022 TO MARCH 2022 2022 Volunteering at Habibi the past two months has surpassed all of my expectations. Working with the students has been a real honour and a privilege. Their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn shines through the difficult and challenging situations that they may have recently encountered.…
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DANIEL (THE NETHERLANDS)
in TeachersDANIEL (THE NETHERLANDS) Volunteered From SEPTEMBER 2022 TO MARCH 2022 2023 It was after finishing my first half of medical school that I decided to take a gap year and spend it teaching at Habibi Center in Athens. Anticipating the well-known challenges and difficulties of teaching and having little prior experience with teaching, I felt…
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ALEX (THE U.K.)
in TeachersALEX (THE U.K.) Volunteered From SEPTEMBER 2021 TO DECEMBER 2021 2021 A year after graduating from university in 2020 and working in a job for a year, I started looking for opportunities to volunteer and work with refugees as it is something I would like to do in the future. The Habibi Center immediately jumped…
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EMILY (THE U.K.)
in TeachersEMILY (THE U.K.) Volunteered From SEPTEMBER 2021 TO NOVEMBER 2021 I came to the Habibi Centre so that I could gain some teaching experience after graduating. However, after volunteering for only ten weeks, I feel as though I have gained so much more. Working at the Habibi Centre has taught me that school provides students…
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ALENA (RUSSIA)
in TeachersALENA (RUSSIA) Volunteered From AUGUST 2021 TO OCTOBER 2021 2021 I had been looking for a place to volunteer as a teacher for a short period of time. I didn’t plan on spending my time in Greece, but then I found the Habibi Center, and it felt like it was the right place. I stayed…
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CHLOE (THE U.K.)
in TeachersCHLOE (THE U.K.) Volunteered From JULY 2021 TO AUGUST 2021 2021 I was lucky to find myself with a free summer in between leaving my previous job and going back into education and I wanted to use that time wisely. At home in the UK I volunteer as a teacher for refugees and I had…
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STEVEN (U.S.A)
in TeachersSTEVEN (U.S.A) Volunteered From JULY 2021 TO SEPTEMBER 2021 2021 Shortly after leaving my job, I had an “itch” to combine my love for world exploration and my ongoing desire to engage in meaningful community work. Habibi Center was the first organization that I found on my search, and I felt an immediate connection with…
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MATTHEW (THE U.K.)
in TeachersMATTHEW (THE U.K.) Volunteered From MAY 2021 TO JUNE 2022 When I arrived in Athens last May, the students at the Habibi Center were beginning to return to in-person classes. It was a gentle introduction to my new life in a new city, and I settled in well thanks to the warmth of the teachers…
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ANITA (THE U.K.)
in TeachersANITA (THE U.K.) Volunteered From APRIL 2021 TO JULY 2021 2021 I was fortunate enough to arrive in Athens as months of strict lockdown restrictions were coming to an end – and the Habibi Center was finally able to open its doors again. My first day of teaching was also many of my students’ first…
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ESTER (SPAIN)
in TeachersESTER (SPAIN) Volunteered From JANUARY 2021 TO MARCH 2021 2021 After some time thinking about doing something to contribute in some way to the refugees’ situation, I found Habibi Center through a friend of my family, who knew the project first-hand. I really liked the idea of teaching English, as it is something that I’ve…
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TIM (AUSTRALIA)
in TeachersTIM (AUSTRALIA) Volunteered From JANUARY 2021 TO MARCH 2021 2021 Locked down in Athens during COVID with time on my hands, I was looking for a project that would keep me productive and help make a difference. I knew of the Habibi Center through Camille, one of the teachers there and decided to volunteer. Initially…
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JAKE (U.K.)
in TeachersJAKE (U.K.) Volunteered From OCTOBER 2020 TO MARCH 2020 2021 I would usually start by talking about how I found the Habibi Center, but in actual fact it found me. The welcoming world of volunteering Facebook groups allows for spontaneous connections and as soon as Steph popped up in my messages, it felt like fate.…