Introduction- Who We Are
In Greece, 500.000 children live at risk of poverty or below the poverty line. Πρώτα το Παιδί - Children First was founded in 2019 because we felt the need to empower the most vulnerable children living among us.
Our aim is to help reduce the inequalities these children face as a result of the ongoing financial crisis and its repercussions, especially on the most vulnerable members of our society.
We work with our beneficiary families by creating a holistic program for each child with parallel interventions in the key areas of child development: nutrition, education and medical care, as well as mental health support via counseling with a psychologist. In this way, we create a long-term perspective for the children’s future.
Pillars of Action
Harris has over 20 years of communications, marketing and fundraising experience in a variety of roles and organizations.
She developed a strong passion for the nonprofit sector during her fourteen-year tenure in the Fundraising Department of the Greek section of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) serving as the Head of Acquisition and Interim Director of Fundraising. Harris has amassed extensive knowledge of nonprofit fundraising as well as expertise in leading teams, defining strategic vision, developing strategic plans and marketing tools and innovation.
Prior to MSF, Harris held managerial positions in various companies, including Ticketmaster in Athens and UGO Networks in New York.
She is a graduate of Boston University with a B.A. in Public Relations and New York University with an M.A. in French Studies.
She is determined to help create a fairer world for children and loves traveling and seeing the world through the eyes of her child.
Anestis holds more than 14 years of experience in non-governmental organizations.
He specializes in major gift fundraising, having served as a one-to-one fundraiser for the Greek section of Médecins-Sans-Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) for five years.
He is also a certified psychologist and has worked in MSF’s field operations in Athens, Greece as a Psychosocial Network Manager, where he managed staff, maintained and expanded MSF’s local psychosocial and medical referrals network and researched the access of vulnerable groups to health services.
Ηe has been awarded a post-graduate Certificate in Cognitive Psychotherapy from Aiginition Hospital and the Hellenic Society of Cognitive Psychotherapies, member of the European Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Therapies, while he conducted therapeutic sessions with patients of the hospital.
He is a graduate of the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens with a B.S. in Psychology and the Technological Education Institute of Piraeus with a degree in Electrical Engineering.
Anestis is an avid music lover and concert attendee, enjoys the arts, traveling and experiencing new cultures.
Amalia holds more than 11 years of experience at non-profit organizations.
In her roles in finance, fundraising and donor relations, Amalia mastered a diverse set of tools and skills, including event management, online communications and fundraising, advertising campaigns, crowdfunding, volunteer management, donor relations, financial planning and project management. She is also a digital marketing specialist, having handled strategic communications and social media management for a variety of clients and organizations.
She is also a digital marketing specialist, having handled strategic communications and social media management for a variety of clients and organizations.
Amalia is a graduate of the Athens University of Economics and Business with a B.A in Marketing and Communication and Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences with an M.Sc. in Organizational and Economical Psychology.
Amalia is a travel and tennis enthusiast and aspires to learn something new every day. She is passionate about social impact and takes joy in observing small, everyday gestures from people that show love and kindness.
Athina is responsible for coordinating and ensuring the seamless operation of the organization’s programs, maintaining communication with beneficiary families, partners, and supporters.
She has worked for two years in the healthcare sector, gaining valuable experience in managing daily operations and supporting vulnerable groups through tasks such as assisting the public with medical examinations and ensuring the smooth completion of procedures.
Her involvement in the humanitarian field was born from her desire to contribute meaningfully to the community, particularly in supporting children and families in need.
She is a graduate of the University of Piraeus with an undergraduate degree in Industrial Management and Technology and the U/niversity of West Attica with a graduate degree in Biomedical Technology. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree with a research focus on radiogenomic analysis of lung cancer.
In her free time, she enjoys traveling with friends and exploring photography, as she believes these hobbies help her see the world through different perspectives.