Greek Islands Struggle as Birthrates Plunge, Schools Close

On Greece’s islands, shrinking families are reshaping daily life: in Lemnos, a 4-year-old sits alone in class as birthrates fall to 1.3 and more than 700 schools close nationwide. Limited health services push expectant mothers to travel, often at high cost, while an Athens nonprofit, HOPEgenesis, funds care for women in remote areas. Parents ferry children between islands for school, weather permitting. Locals debate immigration, identity and why young people have fewer children; the government has offered new tax incentives. Some fear villages will vanish, even as others remain optimistic.