Project report: Kids are Kids, Russia
Grantee: Kids are Kids, Russia
Project: Summer camp for marginalised and migrant families
The Centre for support and adaptation for children of refugees and migrants “Kids are Kids” is a centre that helps children with linguistic, psychological and social adaptation. Since 1996 the Centre has been giving children from many countries the chance to integrate into Russian society. It provides free of charge lessons for pre-school and school age children: adaptation, play, and creative lessons according to the school curriculum, and especially Russian language skills. Advisors talk to parents about school and higher education entry issues. The Centre’s activities are aimed at helping children to integrate into Russian life.
The Centre’s programmes have hosted children from Syria, Afghanistan, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Angola, Vietnam, Egypt and other countries. The children and their families are in Russia for a variety of reasons: because of civil war, human rights violations, violence, poverty and lack of employment opportunities, political persecution – a whole range of reasons why people have to flee from their home country. Various specialists work with the children and help them – psychologists and counsellors, as well as language, history, and science teachers. We try hard to make the process of adaptation to urban life easier for children and their families, while their applications for refugee status are processed or afterwards. The main mission of the organisation is to provide them with equal future prospects irrespective of their circumstances and ethnic origins.
In the summer of 2021 the staff and volunteers at the Centre organised lessons for children of refugees and migrants in Moscow within the framework of a children’s urban summer camp. In the summer in particular children need to stay close to their friends and social circle, and they enjoy coming to the city’s summer leisure activities, which have a beneficial effect on the children’s psychological welfare and helps them to adapt to their new surroundings. The activities in the camp included music, art therapy, play therapy and integration through art – by taking them to museums and telling them about the city.
Organisation contact details:
Behtereva 37/4, Moscow
+79153043124
kids.refugee@gmail.com
http://kidsarekids.tilda.ws/
https://www.facebook.com/kids.refugee
https://www.instagram.com/kids.refugee/
Author contact details:
Marina Oblomova
Director
m.obmolova@gmail.com
