Alena, a young girl from Ukraine, a Ukrainian teenager, talks about programs for youth:
"It helps us forget for a few minutes about what is happening at home"
"All the games and everything we do at the youth center help us forget, even if just for a few minutes, about what is happening at home, in Ukraine," says seventeen-year-old Alena Harmasyuk, from Odessa, Ukraine, who fled the war and found shelter in the Republic of Moldova with her sister and mother.
They have been at a temporary accommodation center in the village of Belțata, Criuleni district, for more than thirty days. To distract themselves from the sad news coming from their homeland and to gain positive emotions, Alena and her sister Yulia participate in entertainment activities organized at the TohaTEEN HUB youth center in Tohatin.
These activities are part of a program to engage and support refugee teenagers from Ukraine, initiated by the Information and Resource Center "Pro Bono" in partnership with the Municipality of Chișinău, the Municipal Youth Center, with financial support from UNICEF in Moldova.
"We, teenagers from Ukraine, need support. Young people experience this situation much harder than adults. Some cannot control their emotions and often fall into depression. That’s why psychological consultations and these activities are welcomed."
"Besides all the activities we do, such as games, competitions, and others, I think the most important thing is communication. Some even made new friends, exchanged contacts, and maintain great relationships.
I follow all the news, it's very hard for me not to think about my relatives who stayed in Ukraine or about what’s happening with my loved ones. These activities really help me focus on other things. Otherwise, we would just be sitting at home feeling sad," says the girl.
Over the course of six months, around 10,000 young people from Ukraine who have found refuge in the Republic of Moldova will be involved in personal development and resilience programs, sports events, educational games, and other activities to effectively spend their free time. Additionally, young people have access to information services and psychological consultations. All of this is organized in municipal youth centers, as well as in the TohaTEEN HUB youth center in the village of Tohatin.
"I believe that during this time, we, teenagers from Ukraine, need moral support more than ever. Young people are experiencing this situation much harder than adults. Some cannot cope with their emotions and often fall into depression. That’s why psychological consultations and such activities are welcomed. Also, all the games and everything we do here help us forget, even for a few minutes, about what is happening at home in Ukraine. This way, we start focusing on something positive together," says Alena, who is absolutely convinced that such experiences help develop communication skills and resilience.
For example, during this period, the girl fully realized the importance of projects aimed at the needs of teenagers, as she considers herself an introvert who has not yet figured out her path. Thus, personal development activities help her truly express herself."
"Some people love to draw, sing, or do sports. As for me, I believe that such youth projects are very important for me. Right now, I am at a point where I can't make a decision. However, it’s very important to understand what you really want. Before, I wanted to grow up as fast as possible and start earning as much money as I could. Now I think I would like to focus on my personal development," says Alena.
In addition to entertainment activities and other educational programs, the Chișinău Youth Center, with support from UNICEF in Moldova, has organized a mobile team through which young refugees from Ukraine receive information about development opportunities in Moldova. So far, the mobile team has visited the "Lukoil" Accommodation Center, the "Moldexpo" Refugee Center, the Accommodation Center at the Institute of Pedagogical Sciences, and the Dmitri Cantemir Theoretical Lyceum. There are plans to visit several other educational institutions and public places. To date, around 5,000 teenagers from Ukraine have participated in educational and entertainment programs organized in youth centers.
