In Frankfurt-on-Oder, on the German-Polish border, aid to refugees is mainly based on private initiatives, also concerning the reception of children. If the doors of German schools are still closed to them, associations have already set up programs that allow Ukrainian students to continue studying: in their native language, but also in English and German.
With our special correspondent in Frankfurt-on-the-Oder, Achim Lippold
We are in the premises of the Sonnenschein association (in French ” sunbeam “). Three ukrainian girls play ball while their mothers talk to each other. The association was created by Yevgeni Tverdochleb in 2016, to welcome children of Syrian and Afghan refugees. He himself comes from Ukraine, but has lived in Germany for twenty years:
” Our goal is for children to forget – for a moment – the war. Let them disconnect war stories. That’s why we don’t talk about the war here and we avoid making noise so as not to frighten the children.explains Yevgeni Tverdochleb. What matters to us is their emotional stability. »
For older children, the association has set up a school program. Irina who has just arrived in Germany is in charge of the English lessons:
I like to teach, I really like it. I was an English teacher in Ukraine and these courses here allow me to continue working and helping the children.
The children also take German lessons and continue with their Ukrainian school program, thanks in particular to distance learning.
But the president of the association is also thinking of their mothers : “ I help them with their first administrative steps: register, find a doctor, organizations to take care of the children, translators who can accompany them. »
Yevgeni Tverdochleb now wants to expand the premises of his association. He thinks the families he just welcomed here will not be able to return to Ukraine any time soon.
