Donbas children: «Thank you for great impressions and a lot of new friends»
"Peaceful Summer for Donbas Children 2016" program of Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center has come to an end. All the children have returned home and get ready for the new school year to start. Owing to the provided vacation, children could improve their health, find new friends and forget about the war at least for a while.
Due to the difficulties with crossing the contact line and intensified hostilities, not all of the children could come for vacation – only 360 people out of 500 registered. It took many of them 2-3 days to get to the vacation spot and back. Nevertheless, they didn't regret about participation in "Peaceful Summer for Donbas Children" program.
"My son was staying in Soniachnyi camp. Both he and I really loved it. This is a great camp: the counsellors were nice, food was delicious, there was plenty of entertainments, new friends and really good attitude to children. We are so grateful to the Humanitarian Center for the possibility to get rested and gain new impressions", ‒ Maksym Kunytsia, Donetsk resident, shares.
"My two children went for vacation to Albatros. They really enjoyed everything, had great counsellors and brought back a lot of impressions. They cried, when they were leaving. We are so thankful to the Humanitarian Center!" ‒ Olha Kuznetsova, an internally displaced person, shares.
In addition to the rich entertainment program, children were arranged meetings with the Humanitarian Center's psychologists. They developed a special program, which helped to stabilize and improve psycho-emotional state of children, reduce their anxiety and develop communication skills. During the classes kids learned to control their own fears, they were doing art therapy and breathing exercises, prepared self-presentations.
"We hope that the boost of energy and goodness, gained by children during the holidays, will remain as long as possible. Having their physical and psychological health improved, it will be easier for children to get back to studies, and their everyday life will become more peaceful and joyful. And we still really hope and believe that peaceful summer will be followed by peaceful life", ‒ Iryna Temerko, the Head of "Targeted Assistance" direction at Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center, says.
As a reminder, "Peaceful Summer for Donbas Children" program was launched for the first time in 2015. In summer 2016 the Humanitarian Center decided to continue the program and organized vacation for children in Albatros and Soniachnyi summer camps. The program united children from 8 to 14 years old living in non-government-controlled areas and "grey zone". These were primarily children from large or one-parent families.
