Greece

Diogenes NGO

The Greek Homeless Football Team was set up in in 2006 and made its debut appearance at the 2007 Homeless World Cup. Diogenes NGO was founded in 2010 to coordinate the “Kick out Poverty” project as well as other activities aimed at supporting socially excluded people, and to continue the work of the Greek Homeless Football Team.

Based in Athens, but with activities also running in other parts of Greece, Diogenes NGO focus mainly on homeless people, people living below the poverty line, people in substance abuse rehabilitation, asylum seekers, and illegal immigrants.

Organisation Details

Participants

Socially excluded men and women

Locations

Across Greece, including Athens, Volos, Kozani, and Thessaloniki

Homelessness Statistics

18.5%

Population unemployed, lowest in Europe (Eurostat, 2019)

21,216

Number of homeless people (FEANTSA, 2017)

34.8%

Population living below the poverty line - 3.7 million (Kathimerini, 2018)

Greece’s biggest challenge is the ongoing economic and financial crisis. Austerity measures have caused a sharp increase in people at risk of poverty, social exclusion and homelessness (FEANTSA, 2017) . There are also many unregistered immigrants who are often homeless and are subject to xenophobia and racism (HRW, 2012).