Robert Ian Kibet Ouko Babu

Ian is a Kenyan – Greek licensed Psychologist and Integrative Psychotherapist. His first degree was in nursing, and he then proceeded to do professional training as a translator and interpreter. He has Masters and Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology. Ian is currently completing his psychotherapy training in Person-Centered and Experiential Focusing Counselling and Psychotherapy at the Hellenic Focusing Center in Athens. 

The cultural indifference and inadequate response to migrant and refugee health and mental health in Greece led Ian to become politically active in social change. Ian has over 10 years of experience in grassroots community health and mental health promotion work. He used to coordinate the Experts By Experience project by MSF, a program that trains and empowers survivors of torture and inhumane treatment living in Greece to come together and speak out for their rights and recognition. He actively worked with Unaccompanied Minors in the mentorship program of Metadrasi. In collaboration with Stavros Niarchos and Velos Youth, they created a holistic integration project to support Unaccompanied Young adults’ transition into adulthood. As a performing artist, he used art and body movement as a platform to open dialogues about the mental health of refugees in Europe. 

Ian also has many years of experience in the education of parents and child protection institutions as well as consulting and educating staff and employees in Greek and International companies. He now serves on a number of advisory boards and policy groups e.g. Greek Forum of Refugees, Voicify EU - The European Forum for Youth with Lived Migration Experiences, Vana Ba Afrika, MSF, FEANSTA, Velos Youth etc.

Ian is the Co-Founder and Programmes Director at Open Paths Athens (OPA) where he oversees OPA’s mental, sexual, and reproductive health work in Europe and campaigns to end violence against women and girls. He is currently working for SOS Villages Greece as a therapist. He is currently coordinating the Mi-Health HIV partnership in Greece, working with diverse local and European migrant communities for greater access to mental health, HIV, Hepatitis, and TB screening, treatment, and linkage to care. 

Ian is a registered member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a member of the Greek Counselling Association.