Footballer Andriy Shevchenko unexpectedly visited a Save the Children summer school in Warsaw to meet children who fled the horrors of war in his country
The legend of Ukrainian football Andriy Shevchenko unexpectedly visited a Save the Children summer school in Warsaw to meet the children who fled the horrors of war in his country and asked for greater support for the psychological health of the young refugees. Since the war escalated five months ago, at least 5.8 million refugees from Ukraine have been registered in Europe and it is estimated that half are children, many of whom have not had access to education for weeks. Save the Children’s summer schools for Ukrainian children in Poland provide a safe haven where young refugees can improve their education, their mental health and psychosocial well-being. Shevchenko, 45, former captain and coach of the Ukrainian national team and striker of AC Milan and Chelsea, spent some time with the children and was able to observe the TeamUp intervention – developed and implemented by War Child and Save the Children and supported by Laureus Sport for Good, of which ambassador – which aims to improve the mental health and psychosocial well-being of children through play.
Almost three million Ukrainian children have been forced to flee their homes in the past five months due to the conflict. The physical impact of the war is evident but we cannot forget the psychological impact on these children and young people. It is not enough to take a child out of war. We need to get war out of the children’s minds. Lo sport has the incredible power to break down barriers and create hope in moments of despair. Shevchenko, winner of the Ballon d’Or in 2004, retired from professional football in 2012. He returned to playing the sport in 2016 as second-in-command of the Ukrainian national team and in 2016 was appointed manager until 2021 bringing the nation to the quarter-finals. UEFA Euro 2020 final. Recently he was coach of Genoa, a Serie A club. Many of the children Shevchenko met live daily in uncertainty, fear and anguish. Even when they find safety in another country, they are often silent and withdrawn or brazen and overbearing. Summer schools offer them the opportunity to explore and process their emotional experiences through sport and play, while ensuring that they don’t lag behind in learning.
July 26, 2022 (change July 26, 2022 | 02:31)
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