"TWI FOR THE CHILDREN"

Summer Camps To Children in the Balkans 
July 2008

 

   During the summer of 2008, TWI will host camps in Bosnia and in Montenegro ( the TWI Camp  Itinerary for 2008).  TWI will also host its Family Retreat for Special Needs Children at Rama as part of the overall camp program. Our theme this summer is "The Olympics". We will use our basic day format (Daily Camp to kids Activities) and (coordination details).  Additionally, TWI will host a Leadership Training Workshop in Montenegro in conjunction with the summer camp at the Montenegro Orphanage. Our partners, the New Jersey Synod, will also host camps throughout Bosnia. Their website is www.servanttrips.org.

 

 

PROJECT SCOPE:

TWI for the Children takes one and two-day camps to children  in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and in Montenegro.

 

  Many villages throughout the Balkans were impacted by the conflicts in the 1990's.  Ethnic, political and religious differences  resulted in divisions and animosities that are holding back their countries.   Many children  lack educational opportunities and  do not have opportunity to travel for vacation outside their villages.  Some children have lost a parent and crave recognition, additional love, and the opportunity to participate in camp activities.  The purpose of our camp is to teach love and reinforce the need for reconciliation among the people. 

 

Summer opportunities furnished by the "Camp to Kids" program provide  children with a day of fun, learning, food and recreation to fulfill our goals of teaching love and reconciliation. Our project provides a  positive image of America and demonstrates the desire of the American people to help the people of the Balkans.  Providing resources such as sports and educational equipment to these schools and orphanages materially assist these organizations, but more importantly we show the teachers and caregivers new methods to teach their students though crafts, song, dance, stories and games. 

 

The "Camps to Kids" project teaches strong moral values of love, reconciliation, leadership, competition, geography and language that are  shared throughout their villages.

 

 OBJECTIVES:

The objectives of the "Camps to Kids" Project are to:

  •     Bring a day of fun to children in all areas of the Balkans. 

  •      Teach the values of love, reconciliation, friendship, self-worth and the educational concepts through crafts, games, stories, song and dance that teach language, sport competition, geography and art. 

  •     Provide a platform to show the goodness of the America people and an opportunity to learn about American culture. 

  •     Provide outreach to all ethnic groups formerly involved in  civil conflicts by taking "Camps to Kids" to Muslim, Croat, Serb and Kosovar communities. Provide educational and sport equipment to orphanages  and village schools as part of the "Camps to Kids"   project.  

  •     Include "children with special needs" as an important part of our "Camps to Kids" project .  

 

 

Goals:

                 (1) Give back  a childhood the children may have lost because of civil conflicts;

              (2) Help  heal  pain and anger through interactive play;

              (3) Provide skills  that  will  help  the children as  they  move  into ‘adulthood competence’ .

(4) Provide  avenues  for the children  to  release their anger and express  their    fears    in    a    healthy    and    loving environment;

(5) Teach values of playing and working in harmony  with others regardless  of   different  ethnic  and  religious backgrounds by partnering  American volunteers and  Balkan adults and teenagers  to make up the Camp Leadership Team to implement the camp program as a team effort.

 


To apply to be a Camp volunteer in 2008, you will need to to get this application. Fill it out and return it to us  Application to be a Camp2Kids Volunteer Leader).

Preparations that each volunteer should make prior to going to the Balkans ( preparations  before leaving for  the Balkans). 

Volunteers have concerns for their safety when going to the Balkans. We prepared a letter addressing these concerns that will help when making your decision to volunteer (a letter to  team volunteers)

 

 

  Click Here: to read about our camps in 2007. 

 

 

  These camps have become more expensive each year. With the exchange rate with the Euro, our dollars buy less. This year our summer  Camps to kids project will cost more than $50,000 in 2008.  

 

 

Please help us to continue these Projects in the Balkans:  Send your Tax-Deductible donation to TWI for the Children, 5929 Queenston Street, Springfield, VA 22152 or by providing a donation by credit card:

                        Donate now by credit card to help the TWI Program   

 


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updated: 3/17/2008