John —
For many families from Ukraine, Christmas is a very important holiday. Loved ones gather together and carry out traditions, like cooking 12 meals for the table, reflecting on the past year, and making wishes for the future.
Today, we get to share some good news just in time for the holidays: a recent trip that Ukrainian children took to an ornament workshop in Poland to celebrate Christmas. In coordination with a Safe Healing and Learning Space program (SHLS), our local partners on the ground organize activities like these for children living in shelters, and during the holiday season, they're more important than ever.
On this recent trip, we met Sofia and she shared with us how she was able to prepare for Christmas through a SHLSÂ program,
"We made Christmas stockings and Santa Claus will leave gifts for us in it. We will check it on December 24th, there are also decorations in our space and different toys. We paint, we play, whatever we want... we cry. We do everything there."
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Developed by IRC experts, SHLS programs are a secure, caring and predictable place where children and adolescents living in conflict and crisis settings can learn, develop and be protected. In addition to reading, math, and social-emotional learning, organized trips like these allow children to have a sense of normalcy, especially during the holiday season. During the trip, children like Sofia were able to paint ornaments, make Christmas stockings, and spend time with one another.
These moments of joy are incredibly important in the midst of ongoing crises, and we're happy we're able to share them with you. You can also share holiday greetings from Ukraine with your friends and family below.
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Thanks to supporters like you, providing comfort and meeting the essential needs of Ukrainian children and families is possible during the holiday season. We're grateful you are a part of the IRCÂ community.
Happy Holidays,
Joanna
Joanna Nahorska
Senior Communications Officer, Ukraine and Poland Response
International Rescue Committee Â
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