SCI Hellas – Kinissi Ethelonton

SCI Hellas – Kinissi Ethelonton is part of the Greek section of the international organization SCI International, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2020 and is, if not the oldest, one of the oldest volunteering organizations worldwide.

Our vision is a world of peace, social justice and sustainable development, where all people live together with mutual respect and without resorting to any form of violence to resolve their differences. Our mission is to promote peace and intercultural understanding through international voluntary programs.
The principles of SCI Hellas are

• Volunteering
• Nonviolence
• Human rights
• Solidarity
• Respecting the environment
• Integration
• Empowerment
• Cooperation

We organize international voluntary programs around the world because we believe that peace can only be built if people from different backgrounds and cultures can work together to achieve common goals. SCI Hellas works to achieve its goals with groups of people of different cultures and backgrounds, members of vulnerable groups, mainly refugees, migrants and asylum seekers, working with volunteers who for a short or long period of time who are engaged in creative, coordinating, mentoring roles. SCI Hellas is currently working with three groups:

• UMOJA-ENOSI
• Coexistence is Possible
• Women Voice

In detail:

The UMOJA-ENOSI is the first Pan-African football team in the country and consists of 20 players from nine (9) different African countries living in Greece as either asylum seekers, refugees, migrants or belonging to the so-called second generation. The team was created on the initiative of the informal community of Burundi and with the support of SCI Hellas is competing in the Independent Championship.

Coexistence is Possible is a group of young people from different countries living in Athens who have decided to meet and explore ways to express that beyond discrimination on the way to social inclusion, Coexistence is possible in Greek society. Street theater is their tool through which they present everyday life scenes with realism and solidarity.

Women Voice is a group of African women (from Cameroon and Nigeria) who have been living in Athens for many years with their families. They meet weekly and discuss trying to find ways to tackle discrimination, sexual abuse and violence, especially domestic one. SCI Hellas supports Women Voice in their effort to create their own club.