More than half of the Greek schoolchildren living in the country’s poor areas face “food insecurity,” suffering from a lack of access to enough food necessary to ensure a healthy life, according to 2013 data. The worrying and sad phenomenon has slightly eased ever since due to donated meals.
As the Institute of Preventive Medicine, Environmental and Occupational Health “Prolepsis” reveals, 54% of the Greek schoolchildren that were surveyed in September 2013 experienced “food insecurity.” Although, this number has dropped to 48% by the end of the previous academic year, mostly thanks to donated meals. Furthermore, the survey showed that 21% of the children experienced “food insecurity” with hunger, while this figure dropped to 18% at the end of academic year 2013.
“It is not acceptable for any children to experience hunger problems,” underlined Prolepsis President Athina Linou. Prolepsis is currently running a food donation program for the fourth consecutive year with the support of Stavros Niarchos Foundation, which is the program’s main sponsor, and has so far provided some 9 million meals to Greek schoolchildren in need while, solely in 2014, approximately 150 schools are taking part in the program.
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