Social interaction is an important part of development among children and teenagers. When Allies volunteers returned to one orphanage in Eastern Europe, they prepared activities geared towards developing the children’s social skills, including engaging them in casual conversation and playing a friendly game of volleyball.

More than 20 children, ranging from 2 to 6 years of age, participated in the day’s program. Even the girls were highly active, which pleasantly surprised the volunteers, as they had not observed the same level of enthusiasm in other centers they had previously visited. Another noticeable difference is the closeness the small community demonstrated with one another, with the younger ones addressing their instructors as “mama.”

The trip turned out to be an enjoyable learning opportunity for the volunteers themselves. The overseers of the orphanage were kind enough to give a tour to the volunteers and show what daily life in the orphanage is like for the children. They toured their bedrooms, the kitchen area and play room, as well as looked over some of the children’s art work. The volunteers also got the chance to talk to and hear feedback from some of the girls who had enrolled in the tutoring program.

Julia, a university student and volunteer, showed great leadership skills during the activities. She managed the children well, prompting responses without being intimidating and making necessary adjustments when certain parts of the activity became too difficult. Her natural and genuine disposition made it easier for the student group to manage the activities, and ultimately, the day ended on a high note, with the children happily receiving gifts, courtesy of Allies partners.