Deloitte and World Vision inaugurate second educational center for Ukrainian children

Deloitte Foundation and World Vision recently inaugurated their second center that will provide educational and recreational activities for Ukrainian pupils and preschool children at Romexpo in northern Bucharest.

The first such center, located in the Tei Student Sports Cultural Complex in Bucharest, was opened in May 2022, and in the first three months since its inauguration, approximately 100 people, mothers, and children benefited from over 500 hours of activities organized within it.

“The first center built within our partnership with World Vision has been received with enthusiasm among the beneficiaries, as well as among our colleagues, who got involved voluntarily in activities for children. […] The Ukrainian refugees are still in great need of support to continue their education, to overcome the traumas generated by the war, and to be able to build a life beyond them,” Alexandru Reff, Country Managing Partner at Deloitte Romania and Moldova said in a press release.

The new center located at Romexpo, called Happy Bubble, has an area of about 80 square meters. It can accommodate up to 40 children daily. The planned activities are addressed to both preschoolers and pupils of all ages and include classes in mathematics, English, programming, workshops on personal development, drawing, and dance.

The center will also offer English and Romanian classes for the mothers, aside from psychological, legal, and occupational counseling. The beneficiaries will also be provided with lunch meals.

“We chose to open the second Happy Bubble center supported by our partners at Deloitte Romania in the Romexpo area because we identified one of the biggest needs here. The daily flow of refugees is still high […]. Ukrainian refugee children are in great need of help as we speak: 3.6 million Ukrainian children are at risk of not having access to education and 1.5 million are at risk of mental health problems six months after the conflict broke out, according to World Vision analyses. The help we provide in these centers to both children and mothers is essential and we are grateful to our partners because together we are able to do this,” said Mihaela Nabar, Executive Director, World Vision Romania.

The Happy Bubble centers are modeled after the Child Friendly Spaces developed by World Vision to aid refugees around the world. These spaces for children who are going through emergency situations are designed to provide them with a safe, calm, and comfortable environment, so that they can at least partially find the play and educational routine they had at home.

(Photo source: World Vision | Deloitte)