ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2013 - page 13

tions, without distortions. Besides, as experience has shown, when
one sows winds, one reaps only storms.
Our source of inspiration continues to lie in the human values that pro-
vide us with the “passport” to take actions in every corner of Greece
,
there where small human stories are enacted, marking nevertheless
unfair small deaths: deaths of human dignity, deaths of decent living,
deaths of the right to basic goods, such as health and welfare.
In
Athens
and
Thessaloniki
, with the mainspring of the two Polyclin-
ics, we have continued for these last two years the difficult and com-
plicated job of providing medical and pharmaceutical services, legal
counseling, labour promotion and psychosocial support to socially
and economically alienated populations.
Our presence is strengthened by volunteers who have constantly sup-
ported our programs all these years.
Our mobile medical units continue to scour the north borders up to
Thessaloniki as well as the islands of Northeast Aegean
, in order to
take in and provide medical services and legal advice, as well as basic
necessities of hygiene, clothing and food, to third-country nationals.
We constantly and dynamically respond to primary issues of Public
Health
such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B, through the operation of our
free telephone line
(800 11 11 600),
informing and the public and pro-
moting testing. Through our information campaigns
ASK FIRST (PRO-
TA ROTA)
for HIV, and for the Fast Test (which tests either saliva or a
drop of blood) and gives an answer in 20 minutes, as well as Hepatitis
C, and the test for Hepatitis B, we make efforts to motivate the public
to include these specifics tests in their own medical protocol. Through
our campaigns
Don’t Hesitate
, also during 2013, and I
NFORMATION-
PRECAUTION-EXAMINATION: our own motto in life
, we spread in-
formation about AIDS all over Greece and attempted (together with
other NGOs)
to fight the stigma of people living with HIV.
Our mobile
units testing with saliva and drops of blood have now become two (the
second one coming into action through a cooperative program with
Infectious Diseases Unit of Evangelismos Hospital, and with funding
from the National Strategic Reference Network(ΕΣΠΑ).
In Mytilini, with a local team of volunteers, PRAKSIS attempts to ex-
pand its activity to this sensitive “entrance gate” of immigrants and
refugees. Our aim is to always be present where the problems arise,
where inalienable but essential human rights are being disputed.
PRAKSIS’ Drop In Center inhas operated since August 2011. It is an
open center for the reception, support and protection of unaccompa-
nied minors, who often are on a path to slavery for which Greece has
become a forwarding point as Patras has become a gate of exodus for
the “European Dream.”
In addition, since September 2013, PRAKSIS has created two hostels
for housing unaccompanied minors, one in Patras and one in Athens.
In all of these actions, the dominant goal remains the exemplary char-
acter which includes social solidarity, practical sensitivityand partici-
pation, which permits the measurement of our effectiveness, and the
support of our testimony across our membership, the corporations
and the state, with the strength of numbers and data, which has made
us leaders in the movement for
transparency and self-regulation
,
which legalises a testimonial as long as action pre-exists. The witness
that reaches not only the ordinary citizen, but national and European
organizations. For this reason we have created a new division, that
of Advocacy, to strengthen our existing communications division, and
to strengthen our actions and our imprint on the activities of political
change (on a national as well as on a European level).
These actions,which emerge from the continuous support, both fi-
nancial and moral, of a continually increasing part of Greek society
,
which are recognised and rewarded not just by honorary distinctions
but also by our fellow citizens, who continue to provide our Polyclinics
with medicines and clothes that they no longer need, for the popula-
tions whom we care for, are necessary and valuable. These actions are
perceived through our everyday contact in our offices, our volunteers,
our printed materials, our site, our photo exhibitions, our happenings
and our involvement in events throughout the whole of Greece. These
ΑΞΙΠΟΡΕΠΕΙΑ | ΑΥΡΤΑΡΚΕΙΑ | ΑΥΤΟΣΕΒΑΣΜΟΣ
13
PRAKSIS - ANNUAL REPORT OF ACTIONS 2013
WE ADD THE SIGNIFICANT ‘A’ IN ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΣ
DIGNITY | INDEPENDENCE | SELF SUFFICIENCY | SELF RESPECT
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