by Christos Zabounis

A gynecologist, father of four and president of a hospital, is taking the lead in halting the country’s downward demographic curve. I am referring to Stefanos Handakas, who founded the Civil Non-Profit Company «HOPEgenesis» in 2015, with plans to cover the expenses of pregnancy, childbirth, transportation and accommodation of pregnant women living on uninhabited islands and in remote mainland villages. To date, more than 800 families have benefited, ever since 2015, the year of the company’s establishment. The idea was born during the 20th Diaplo of the Aegean Team, another non-profit company, which operates in the barren line of the island country, supporting with medical care and infrastructure projects the beating heart of Hellenism, which is the Archipelago. I am watching Stefanos’ speech on low fertility, at the Town Hall of Fourni Ikaria, and I share his enthusiasm for the presence in the hall of dozens of children, of various ages, with their parents. “The first child, Minas, came into the world in Thymena, eight years ago. Since then we have had another thirty-seven children being born, here in Fournos”, are his first words. To change the tone afterwards and recall the ominous statistical predictions. “In 2050 the population of Greece will be between 8.5 and 9 million”.

PS. The original name of HOPEgenesis bears the signature of its vice president and founder of MANCODE, Thalis Pitoulis.