OUR ACTIVITY
For the second year we have been working with children of primary school age. We focus both on our own pedagogical skills and on the mental health of children.
At the beginning of our marathons in March 2021, our focus was on empowering children in a pandemic situation. Since its inception, global organizations such as UNICEF, WHO, UNESCO, UN have called on the world, adults and professionals to pay serious attention to how children feel, what emotions they experience, as they are exposed to the same difficult pandemic situations as adults.
Our first season covered the months of February - June 2021. The marathons grew into a serious donation initiative , through which we donated a variety of creative materials mainly in technology and entrepreneurship and fine arts to a total of 15 classes in five primary schools in Veliko Tarnovo region. In June, we even joined the outdoor project activities of students in the initial stage of the primary school "St. Patriarch Evtimiy ”, Veliko Tarnovo. It was great excitement as we were already in the exam session!
The second season of our marathons covers the period February - April 2022.
Why is children's mental health important?
"Mental health is no less important than physical health - we can not afford to continue to look at it differently. For too long, in both rich and poor countries, we have seen too little understanding and too little investment in this essential element in reaching the full potential of every child. That needs to change. "
- Henrietta Faure, Executive Director of UNICEF
Mental health is at the heart of our emotional, psychological and social well-being. Mental health affects our thoughts, emotions and feelings, affects our actions and all our behavior. It determines how we treat ourselves in general life, how we communicate with others around us. Mental health is even responsible for how we acquire our knowledge, how we learn every day. Mental health is also responsible for our decisions and how we make our daily choices. Due to its importance, we, with the help and support of our lecturer Assoc. Prof. Dr. Katya Simeonova, decided to focus on him.
Not only the pandemic worries children in Bulgaria. They are worried about all the small and more serious unpleasant situations, sadness, disappointment, anger, shame or depression. All this is a challenge for us and with our marathons we contribute to the mental health of the children we meet and work with. Of course, the plot is based on the two children's books of UNICEF (IASC) "My hero is you" and "My hero is you 2". We hand-make dolls that look like the characters in them, we develop our stories and after dramatization with the dolls we hold a talk to deal with different, difficult to overcome by children situations. We know that no matter how short and unique the children's experiences with us - and, believe us, everyone is very happy to visit them, we make our unique contribution to the difficult topic of mental health, we help children express some of their concerns , to find their safe place and the people with whom they feel good and safe.
Each time the meetings with the little-hearted heroes end with warm thanks from the children and their teachers, with invitations for the next visit and next partnerships. We are experiencing great excitement and sincere joy from touching the children's world!