
Ukraine Refugee Relief
The project was very important to give integration support for young Ukrainian refugees who are forced to live in Estonia. It gave some relief from everyday troubles and stress.
At the beginning of 2024 year a request for the allocation of 22,757 USD was submitted to LCIF and it was approved under number DES24297/120. The budget of the creative camp is nearly 31,000 USD, which, in addition to LCIF support, consisted of 7,500 USD from Paide Art School and 1,100 USD from LC Paide Bastion.
26-27 June 2024, a creative camp was held in the Männisalu recreation centre located in Võsu (a seaside summer very little town in Northern Estonia). The focus was on creative activities with an artistic bent, but time was also left for simpler sports exercises and a night disco. At the beginning of the creative camp, T-shirts specially made for the creative camp were distributed to all participants, with the LCIF logo and Estonian and Ukrainian flags on the sleeves. Thanks to the support of LCIF, good quality personal painting kits were available for the painting workshops, and they learned to paint both nature and the sea. In addition, the refugees received information about Estonian culture, our customs and beliefs. The creative camp helped Ukrainian children to hear and practice the Estonian language and find new friends, thereby helping to prevent the exclusion of Ukrainian children and to maintain their mental health. In addition to the children, their parents could also participate in the joint activities and language room of the creative camp. The creative camp helped Ukrainian refugees to feel like a part of our cultural space and supported them to be more courageous and open to new acquaintances and communication with Estonians and to fully participate in the life of Estonian society. Through joint activities, Estonian children also got to know Ukrainian culture and behaviours habits, which in turn supported integration and created a favourable basis for more tolerant and open thinking and communication. For many children, especially children from Ukraine, participating in the camp was the only way to get to the camp in the summer and to be by the sea (for some, for the first time in their lives).
After arriving from the camp, thanks to the support of LCIF, all Ukrainian children were given very good basic painting equipment with a bag (with LCIF logos) and basic sports equipment (a beach volleyball and a set of badminton rackets).
Before the camp the director of the art school, Anneli Suits, hoped that the weather would be lucky and that the camp would meet the children’s expectations and be a fun and friendly gathering, and confirmed that the children’s enthusiasm and the weather were both at the best level, and this gives a certain knowledge that the camp was a success in every way. It was a positive surprise that the children/young people came along with the proposed activities and participated quite enthusiastically. And the exhibition was super awesome!
Ukrainian parent Olena Mukhina wanted the children to have new experiences and make new friends. After the camp, Olena confirms that the camp was great, and the children really liked it. The children made friends immediately and learned a lot of new and interesting things: for example, playing blind volleyball, painting the sunset, break dancing or bingo lotto, etc.
Moona Elise Mäe added before the camp that she is most looking forward to drawing, painting and just having fun with friends, swimming in the sea and wants to get unforgettable memories for a lifetime. After the camp, he has many positive memories. “The camp was very intense. I could do all the things I wanted – draw, paint, be with friends. It was the best camp I had been to”.
Lions Club members were inspired by joint action to support the local community, which can be provided thanks to our organization’s foundation.




