Rebuilding Lives

Empowering Ukrainian Youth through Educational Initiatives

Collaborating with the dedicated staff of KIK's Ukrainian initiative, we delved into discussions on how I could contribute to their efforts in supporting Ukrainian families in Poland. Drawing upon my teaching philosophy and experience at Cogitania, as well as my knowledge of Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), I intrigued KIK with the idea of implementing a program called "Summer in the City" for Ukrainian children between the ages of 7 and 17 hailing from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in active war zones such as Kherson, Mariupol, and Kharkiv.

Little did I know the immense challenge and transformative impact that awaited me. Over the course of seven weeks, I conducted workshops for groups of 15 children, totaling 120 in all. Each Monday from 10 am to 4 pm, these resilient youngsters, who had lost their homes and, in some cases, even parents, eagerly participated in our sessions. I chose the theme "Our Planet," believing that exploring the story of Earth would captivate their interest and reignite their passion for learning and personal growth.