CHEERing (the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research in Greece) is a frontline organization in Athens, Greece managed by experienced professionals, and focusing on empowering and assisting some of the most vulnerable individuals in the world: refugee mothers and infants. CHEERing supports and enables optimal infant feeding among refugees, with an emphasis on breastfeeding as the safest form of infant nutrition in a humanitarian crisis. We provide prenatal counselling, infant feeding support, and training for the agencies who serve refugee families.

We launched in 2018 with founding members Anne Merewood PhD MPH IBCLC, and Airinie Azhar BSc. Dr Merewood is a public health specialist with 25 years’ experience running maternal child health programs; she has worked internationally, and is well established in the field. Airinie Azhar is a certified accountant and nutrition specialist with extensive experience working with refugees in Greece, including in nutrition-based work. Both Anne and Airinie speak Greek, English, and French. Our backup volunteer team includes a paediatrician, several registered nurses, a dietitian, and board certified lactation consultants.