Chernihiv Region Charity
“Aratta”

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July, 15, 2011.
The International summer camp

From the 15th to 30th of July 2011 an International summer was organized camp on the bank of the river Desna at the village Makoshino, Mena region. The camp was organized according to the program of close cooperation between pupils and teachers from Dover College, Great Britain, and Makoshino organizations. Among mediators and partners were: Makoshino Charity “Nashchadki Aratty”, charity “British Humanitarian Aid” and Chernihiv Regional Charity “Aratta”. Ben Smith, the teacher of physical culture and travelling was the organizer of the project. In his teenage he was in Ukraine. With his parents: Martin and Debra they brought humanitarian aid from Great Britain to Chernihiv to help needy families that were under “Aratta’s” care.

During the camp there was built a tent town that included about 80 people. There were comfortable toilets, kitchen with real stove, ample tent as a canteen and playing rooms built. There were even shower cabin that work using sun batteries. There were 25 children from Makoshino, which came for lessons for the whole day.

Life in the tent town was interesting and varied: in the morning English team was taught how to eat farina and to make coffee on the campfire, then there were lessons of English for groups of different levels of knowledge.

Children learnt how to communicate in English, learnt new words, knew how to give the first aid on water and at home.

English ate Ukrainian food with pleasure, though at home they mostly have sandwiches.

Our friends liked Ukrainian dishes, they mentioned that it was healthy, useful food, but it was a real test for them to abandon from McDonald’s. We had known that a lot of them have addiction to fast-food. We hope that contact with Nature was useful for the students and the teacher from the high-class Dover College.

Every evening there was a campfire, near it everyone could communicate, sang songs and dream about the beautiful future. There were wonderful concerts with participants from different cultures. It should be mentioned that children and youth have good understanding of Ukrainian traditions and industry, they regularly took part at courses and creative groups: sing songs, dance and show circus, achieve good results and worthily represented Ukraine to the English guests.

It was hard for the English to make their show without electric musical instruments, but they made a great improvisation and rollicked with songs and humorous performances. A real holiday was a day of Ukrainian – English friendship. The representatives from the Dover College visited local hospital, kindergarten and school, also village Council and the house of Culture. There was a common concert on a real stage and friendly football match too. As we know historically English were the founders of football, but a team from Makoshino won, but according to the results after penalty.

Our English friends brought with them many gifts and equipment that will be useful for the citizens of Makoshino.

On the last day of the camp there were close hugs, exchanging of e-mails, photos, common plans for continuation and development of cooperation.

People say: “Summer – is a small life” We hope that the summer of 2011 will be the beginning of a new life for the village of Makoshino!