Children-refugees will be taught journalism in Transcarpathia

The project for promoting children-refugees adaptation in the Ukrainian society ‘Ukraine – my second Motherland’ starts in Transcarpathia. The Uzhgorod Press Club together with the organization ‘NEEKA’ with the support of Danish Council for Refugees will draw attention to the situation in which children refugees are in Transcarpathia and children who seeks shelter in Ukraine and children-refugees. In particular, there will be held the media campaign which will promote the children-refugees’ integration in our society. It is also planned to open the future journalist’s studio for children.

Nadia Zamuriaeva, the coordinator of the International Foundation of Health and the Environment ‘Region Karpat’ (‘The Carpathian Region’) (NEEKA) stated: they launched the program of tolerance two years ago, because kids study in regular Mukachevo and Perechyn schools. There are also organized the special summer camps which help to facilitate the children-refugees adaptation and the shelter seekers in the Ukrainian society together with Ukrainian teenagers. Petro Rosola, the Deputy Director of Temporary Refugee Accommodation Center pointed out that half of the TRAC residents is underage, including unaccompanied children. According to the agreement with the Danish Council, kids additionally provided with the music and Ukrainian teachers. Children even created a small music band that performs on various holidays with Ukrainian songs. There are also Days Open Doors at TRAC, they can invite students at this time.

It should be noted that children-refugees separated with their families should be placed in the appropriate children institutions or families, according to the law. However, the legally established status as children without parental care should be established. But to determine where exactly their parents are and if they exist at all is extremely difficult. At least there were no a single case when parents of these kids were found. And there were no cases when the Transcarpathian family picked the kid to their family.

Mykola Tovt, the Head of Migration Service in Transcarpathian region stated that with the new law adoption on the refugee status, the situation in this field has greatly improved. Thus, nowadays, nearly one hundred percent people who do not have any opportunity to get back to their countries because of the threat to their lives and health appeal for granting the refugee status. The largest number of complaints was received from the Somalia natives, on the second place – Afghanistan this year.