Dec 24, 2018
Maria Faedra Tsialera is the only teacher who lives on the small island of Arkoi in Greece’s Dodecanese and keeps the primary school of the island open for the one and only student who lives there permanently.
Tsialera was born and raised in Thessaloniki but her teaching career brought her to one of Greece’s smallest islands.
As state-run news agency AMNA reports, she asked to be on this island a year and a half ago, since then she helped to build the island’s only school. Unfortunately, the school’s closure could be imminent due to the lack of children on the island.
The island is inhabited year-round by only 35 people.
Tsialera was recently honored by the Academy of Athens for her dedication and professionalism.