On Motherhood, Community, and Purpose

Navigating her recent experience of becoming a mother for the first time, Co-Founder Lia Papazoglou reflects on the shift from viewing our climate and social challenges as abstract concepts to deeply personal responsibilities. She breaks down the true impact of civic service, proving that giving young people the space to roll up their sleeves and serve is the ultimate way to build community resilience in Greece.

Over the past months, I have been away on maternity leave, slowly adjusting to a completely new role in my life: becoming a mother. Returning gradually to Ecogenia has given me time to reflect not only on motherhood, but on the world our children are growing up in, the kind of society we are building, and the role that meaningful work and civic engagement play in shaping our future.

Becoming a parent changes the way you see everything. Suddenly, the future is not an abstract concept. It is deeply personal. You think about the kind of world your child will inherit, the opportunities they will have, the challenges they will face, and the values that will shape their generation. It makes you think about responsibility not just as a parent, but as a member of society.

We are living in a time that often feels unpredictable, overwhelming, and at times divided. Globally and here in Greece, we face climate challenges, economic uncertainty, social fragmentation, and a general sense that many people feel disconnected from decision-making, from their communities, and from each other. In moments like these, it is easy to feel powerless.
But what continues to ground me, and what made returning to Ecogenia feel so meaningful, is the reminder that change does not only happen at the highest levels of government or global institutions. Change also happens when people come together locally, when young people are given responsibility and trust, when communities rally around a shared purpose, and when we create spaces for people to contribute, connect, and belong. This is what civic service does. And this is why I believe so strongly that Greece needs more opportunities like this.

Through Ecogenia, we see what happens when young people are brought together as a team to work on something purposeful, whether it is environmental restoration, community projects, or supporting local initiatives. They arrive as strangers and leave as a team. They learn responsibility, teamwork, leadership, and resilience. They learn that they are capable of contributing to something bigger than themselves.

But something else happens too, something equally important. Communities come together around the work of these young people. Local residents, municipalities, organizations, and volunteers rally around a shared effort. Barriers begin to break down between generations, between different regions, between people who might otherwise never meet or work together. What starts as a service project becomes something larger: social cohesion in action.
In a world where we often talk about polarization and division, we don’t talk enough about the importance of shared experiences and shared purpose. When people work side by side toward a common goal, it changes how they see each other. It builds trust. It builds connection. It builds community.

And ultimately, that is what gives me hope, both as a mother and as the cofounder of Ecogenia.

I want my child to grow up in a society where young people feel empowered, where communities are connected, where people believe they can contribute, and where service and participation are part of our culture. I want Greece to be a country where civic engagement is not the exception, but the norm, where taking a year to serve your country, your environment, or your community is seen as an opportunity, not a sacrifice.

Motherhood has made the mission of Ecogenia feel even more urgent and more meaningful to me. Because the work we are doing is not only about the present. It is about the future we are building, the generation we are supporting, and the kind of society we are shaping together.

In uncertain times, purposeful work is grounding. Community is grounding. Working together is grounding.
And more than ever, I believe that creating opportunities for young people to serve, to connect, and to contribute is one of the most important investments we can make in the future of Greece.

Not just for our generation, but for the ones growing up now.

As I slowly return to work, I find myself especially excited about the year ahead and our upcoming civic service programs. I am excited to see who will join us this year, what they will accomplish together, and how they will grow as individuals and as a team. I hope people will feel inspired not only by what these young people accomplish in the field, but also by the ripple effects of their work. The impact is never only the trees planted, the trails restored, or the projects completed. The real impact is also in the communities they serve, in the relationships built across their team, and in the confidence, skills, and sense of purpose they carry with them long after the program ends.

Because in the end, civic service is not only about the work that gets done. It is about the people who do it, the communities that come together around it, and the kind of society we build when we create opportunities for people to contribute, to connect, and to be part of something bigger than themselves.