Families with children with special needs do not have many opportunities to break away from their daily routine, so every event is especially welcome. The second charity event organized by the Latvian Children’s Fund and local entrepreneurs was held in Jelgava, where children had the opportunity to participate in creative workshops, have fun, and learn the skills to work together.
On May 1, there are enough reasons to celebrate. It is the convening day of the Constitutional Assembly, the day we joined the European Union, and Labor Day. In Jelgava, children with special needs worked together with the well-known fairy-tale character Maiju Chakli. The children could play in the inflatable attractions and exercise their fingers by painting the stones washed away by the waves, or by painting the glasses using the decoupage technique while feeding the rabbits. The main thing is to act and be together. A large part of the workshops at the event was organized by the Jelgava elementary school “Valdeka” development center, where children with special needs also study on a daily basis and which knows well what activities children like and help them develop. Jelgava elementary school “Valdeka” Development Center deputy director Krista Statkus: “They train motor skills, train precision, improve their creative expression and also socialize, because it is very, very important for our children. To be in the community and do what they can do to the best of their ability.”
Such a charity event of the Latvian Children’s Fund together with entrepreneurs was held in Jelgava for the second time. Around 200 people took part in the first event in December, but this time gifts were prepared for 300 children, as the interest in the opportunity to break away from the everyday environment for a moment is growing.
So that the parents of special children can rest a little in the summer, while the children learn something new and work together, the Latvian Children’s Foundation plans summer camps, which are eagerly awaited by both the children and their parents. Parents do not pay for them, their creation is based only on donations.
As the Latvian Children’s Fund explains to ReTV, this year there will be only ten, as most of the donors are currently focusing on helping Ukraine. One camp costs about 10,000 euros, and on average 25 to 30 children participate in it. Camps for children with special needs have been organized by the Latvian Children’s Fund since the beginning of the nineties. In a joint event in Jelgava, families with special children will be able to meet again at the end of summer.
