Improving Learning Environments for Children in Mixed Communities
Videa is about the success achieved when ethnic groups join efforts to improve environment for children and their wellbeing.
02:30
Video Transcript
You can only imagine what this place looked like without this park. This was just a field and there was no adequate space for children to safely spend their time playing. Through this playground project with USAID Advancing Kosovo Together program, we wanted to ensure for our children a safe place where they could peacefully and creatively spend the most beautiful days of their lives - their childhood days.
The objective of this project in the first place was to bring the communities closer - both in terms of interethnic reconciliation and overcoming the barriers that still exist in our society. This means bringing closer to each other children of K-Albanian, K-Serb and K-Roma communities through playing.
K-Serb children can learn some K-Albanian words, and K-Albanian children can learn some K-Serb words. I think that playing represents a universal language that only children understand, being a language that transcends ethnic boundaries.
There were a lot of problems. First of all the space was limited; there were no basic conditions. I am physical education teacher and I had a gym that was empty.
The moment they came here with the idea of bringing computers, sports equipment, and more - we really did not hesitate for a second.
Before, when we had wood stoves here, it was full of smoke during classes. It was not possible to hold classes normally. Now, with the heating installed, it is really great.
Students are more comfortable during classes and they do not wear their jackets inside classrooms.
They do not have any kind of problems that would impact cancellation of classes due to the cold. It is way different to conduct classes with a wood stove compared to central heating. Currently, there aren’t any problems at all. Conditions are great. I am particularly grateful to USAID on a huge job done in cooperation with the municipality of Gračanica/Graçanicë to provide children an opportunity to play together.
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Oktober 28, 2011
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