Ι Care and Act
In 2013, Desmos envisioned an educational program that would inspire the new generation to see giving back as a way of life. In collaboration with the Lambrakis Foundation, the program “I Care & Act” (Noiazomai & Dro) was designed and implemented with the goal of cultivating volunteerism, solidarity, and active citizenship within the educational community.
The program was implemented from 2015 to 2020 in 681 primary and secondary schools, covering all regions of Greece. 63,500 students, 5,200 teachers, and 1,800 social partners participated, while parents also played an important role, with 7 out of 10 actively participating in school activities.
The program combined academic and experiential learning: initial and ongoing training seminars for teachers, educational materials, and experiential activities designed and implemented jointly by students and teachers. A nationwide school network was created with a focus on giving, cooperation, and getting kids involved to help society.
External evaluations conducted by the University of the Peloponnese demonstrated statistically significant improvements among students in cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions, with a deeper understanding of the values of volunteerism and solidarity.
In 2019, “I Care & Act” received the “Nisides Poiotitas” (Islands of Quality) Award from the Citizens’ Movement for an Open Society, presented in the presence of the President of the Hellenic Republic — recognizing its impact on students, educators, and society as a whole.
In 2021, the Ministry of Education officially incorporated “I Care & Act” into the Volunteerism module of the Skills Labs curriculum, launching a pilot phase in 218 schools, later making its materials and know-how available to all public primary and secondary schools in Greece. This institutional recognition brought the program one step closer to its original vision — to reach every school in the country.
The program has been consistently supported by leading philanthropic foundations, including the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, SYN-ENOSIS, The Hellenic Initiative Australia, A.C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation, Bodossaki Foundation, and the A.G. Leventis Foundation, as well as by AEGEAN Airlines, Blue Star Ferries, and private donors who wish to remain anonymous.
“I Care & Act” was not just an educational program — it was, and remains, a call to action for a better world, starting with our children.
