Schooling two Ukrainian kids with special needs

This project has wonderfully achieved the goals. 

As you might have seen in our web, an Ukrainian family with three kids arrived in Madrid, Spain, in March 2022. The family composition was a mother, two kids with special needs, and a young sibling, aged 14, 12 and 3 respectively.

From this moment, we helped them fulfill all necessary official documentation with the immigration office. Since, unfortunately, there was no available lodgment for them, we also took care of this. We accompanied them on the search for a place to live, close to the school, and took care of all the costs (rent, utilities, furnishment, mobile phone…).

Soon after, we had the great chance to receive the three kids at the school!

To begin with, they had an ¨adaptation¨ period during the first two weeks. To our surprise, they had never attended school before, so this new environment meant a total life change. Everything was new, people, place, language, toys, etc… One of our psychologists was most of the time in charge of them to slowly understand their behaviors and see if they were ready to be evaluated to see their level of knowledge and skills. The smallest one was directly included in one of the pre-school classes.

The other two siblings, step by step, started to receive different therapies, such as sensorial therapy, or motoric therapy. They have been so happy. In their classroom we have a big touchable screen, where they could find ¨word-translation¨ with a special App and be able to play and learn with some of the teachers. They have had lunch in the school with the other kids and have enjoyed making new friends in the playground.

Also, a neurologist was in place, and one of the kids was rapidly diagnosed with the Angelman´s syndrome. Together with some translators, the mother was explained the situation and the kid received the necessary medication.

The school is has ended now in June. Teachers and professionals of the Celia & Pepe School have very much enjoyed helping and working with these kids for the last four months.

Unfortunately, there is one thing we could not achieve: to find a job for the mother. She had always been a housewife in her country, due to the three kids. She didn’t speak our language and she was severely psychologically touched by all the situation. Therefore, from the beginning we have also been providing her with a monthly allocation, so she could ¨more or less¨ be independent to buy groceries and the like, with their ´own¨ money.

After a couple of months of living in Madrid, she discovered that a cousin of hers was living in a close city!

She talked to us and decided that at the end of this school period, they will move to this other smaller city and stay closer to their own family. And of course, we respect and understand. The war is still on and their situation is everyday more and more uncertain.

Thus, we want to thank all donors that have helped us with this incredible experience. We have changed the life of these family at least during the last past months, providing not only material things, but also, a lot of love and joy. We hope their new destination will also fulfill their needs and that they will soon, be able to return to their home country.

Thank you!