Адина Махидилова (имя и фамилия изменены) вспоминает день, когда двое ее племянников прибыли в Джалал-Абад, расположенный на юге Кыргызстана: «Мои племянники были очень напуганы. Они не обнимали меня и даже не брали за руку, как это делали мои дети. Я очень переживала за их состояние».
К переживаниям Адины добавились финансовые проблемы. У нее не было собственного дома, она снимала квартиру, где жила с двумя своими детьми. Теперь ей пришлось присматривать еще и за двумя племянниками.
«Нам помог ЮНИСЕФ, – рассказывает Адина. – Фонд выделил нам деньги на покупку самых необходимых вещей, таких как одежда, обувь и канцелярские принадлежности для школы».
Двум мальчикам пришлось в короткие сроки адаптироваться к школьной программе и жизни на новом месте.
«Я решила принять их на обучение, – вспоминает завуч начальной школы Зульфия Киялбекова (имя изменено). – Я просто не могла оставить детей без образования. Да, это было непросто, но на помощь пришел ЮНИСЕФ. Они проводили тренинги и семинары для учителей, объясняли, с какими проблемами мы можем столкнуться и как их решить».
Проблем оказалось много. Помимо языкового барьера, были и психологические трудности. На глазах у одного из мальчиков от взрыва бомбы погибли отец и брат. После увиденного он перестал разговаривать и улыбаться.
«Аман (имя изменено) не умел читать и писать. Теперь он знает пять букв и пять цифр, – рассказывает учительница Феруза Абдулаева (имя и фамилия изменены). – Сначала он был тихим и не хотел есть. Специалисты ЮНИСЕФ приехали с обучающими лекциями, дали ему книги, и я начала работать. Теперь он может объяснить, что ему нравится из еды и о чем он мечтает, и это уже большое достижение. Но основная работа еще впереди. Часто я остаюсь с ним на индивидуальные занятия, мы учим слова и практикуем разговорную речь на кыргызском языке».
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«Верните их домой»: эксперты ООН призывают срочно репатриировать детей из сирийских лагерей
Учительница другого мальчика, которая преподает в школе всего два года, поначалу была озадачена тем, что в ее класс привели немого ученика.
«В институте нам говорили, что такие дети есть, но никто не объяснил, как им можно помочь, – рассказывает классный руководитель Зухра Юсупова (имя и фамилия изменены). – Специалисты из ЮНИСЕФ стали учить нас с нуля. Они прошли путь интеграции этих детей вместе с нами. Трудно ввести в класс ребенка с ограниченными возможностями. Еще труднее, когда он не понимает языка, когда он родился и вырос в другом, очень опасном месте. Но мы справились».
По словам Зухры, такой опыт полезен для детей еще и потому, что они учатся толерантности и приобретают навыки общения с одноклассниками, которые отличаются от них.
«Теперь, если в какой-то класс приводят ребенка с ограниченными возможностями или с другим языковым фоном, я могу помочь его учителю, – говорит она. – Меня научили этому, и теперь я могу поддержать других».
Детям – не место в лагерях и тюрьмах
После разгрома ИГИЛ и освобождения захваченных этой организацией территорий в Ираке и Сирии, бывшие боевики и члены их семей, включая многих иностранных граждан, оказались либо под стражей, либо в перенаселенных лагерях в ужасающих условиях.
В ООН неоднократно на различных уровнях подчеркивали, что дети, которые содержатся в иракских и сирийских тюрьмах и лагерях, являются не преступниками, а жертвами терроризма, и в соответствии с международным правом нуждаются в особой защите. Правозащитники призывали все государства репатриировать детей из числа своих граждан и помочь им и их матерям с реинтеграцией. Подобные программы при поддержке ООН успешно реализуются в ряде стран Центральной Азии, включая Кыргызстан.
Simon Blake is an experienced journalist deeply interested in international affairs and global development. Having spent years reporting on humanitarian issues, he offers a unique perspective in his coverage of United Nations news.
Adina Mahidilova (name changed) remembers the day when her two nephews arrived in Jalal-Abad, located in southern Kyrgyzstan: “My nephews were very scared. They didn’t hug me and didn’t even hold my hand, like my own children did. I was really worried about their condition.” Along with Adina’s concerns, there were financial problems. She didn’t have her own house, she rented an apartment where she lived with her two children. Now she also had to take care of her two nephews. “UNICEF helped us,” Adina says. “The foundation provided us with money to buy the most necessary things, such as clothes, shoes, and school supplies.” The two boys had to quickly adapt to the school program and life in a new place. “I decided to enroll them in school,” recalls vice-principal of the elementary school Zulfia Kiyalbekova (name changed). “I just couldn’t leave the children without education. Yes, it was difficult, but UNICEF came to the rescue. They conducted trainings and seminars for teachers, explaining what problems we might face and how to solve them.” There were many problems. Besides the language barrier, there were psychological difficulties. One of the boys witnessed his father and brother dying in a bomb explosion. After that, he stopped talking and smiling. “Aman (name changed) couldn’t read or write. Now he knows five letters and five numbers,” says teacher Feruza Abdulayeva (name changed). “At first, he was quiet and didn’t want to eat. UNICEF specialists helped us to cope with the challenges and provided the necessary support.”
Adina Mahidilova (name changed) recalls the day when her two nephews arrived in Jalal-Abad, located in southern Kyrgyzstan: “My nephews were very frightened. They didn’t hug me or even hold my hand like my own children did. I was very worried about their condition.” Along with Adina’s worries, financial problems arose. She didn’t have her own house; she rented an apartment where she lived with her two children. Now she had to take care of her two nephews as well. “UNICEF helped us,” Adina says. “The foundation allocated money for buying the most essential things, such as clothes, shoes, and school supplies.” The two boys had to quickly adapt to the school program and life in a new place. “I decided to enroll them in school,” recalls deputy head of the elementary school Zulfia Kiyalbekova (name changed). “I just couldn’t leave the children without education. Yes, it was difficult, but UNICEF came to our aid. They conducted trainings and seminars for teachers, explaining the problems we might face and how to solve them.” There were many challenges. Aside from the language barrier, there were also psychological difficulties. One of the boys witnessed an explosion that killed his father and brother. After that, he stopped talking and smiling. “Aman (name changed) couldn’t read or write before. Now he knows five letters and five numbers,” says teacher Feruza Abdulayeva (name changed). “At first, he was quiet and didn’t want to eat. UNICEF specialists helped us with psychological support.”
Adina Mahidilova (name changed) recalls the day when her two nephews arrived in Jalal-Abad, located in the south of Kyrgyzstan: “My nephews were very scared. They didn’t hug me or even hold my hand like my own children did. I was very worried about their well-being.” Along with Adina’s worries came financial problems. She did not have her own house, she rented an apartment where she lived with her two children. Now she had to take care of her two nephews as well. “UNICEF helped us,” says Adina. “The fund provided money for buying the most necessary things, such as clothes, shoes, and school supplies.” The two boys had to quickly adapt to the school program and life in a new place. “I decided to enroll them in school,” recalls the deputy principal of the elementary school, Zulfia Kiyalbekova (name changed). “I simply couldn’t leave the children without education. Yes, it was challenging, but UNICEF came to our aid. They conducted trainings and seminars for teachers, explaining the problems we may face and how to solve them.” There were many challenges. Besides the language barrier, there were also psychological difficulties. One of the boys witnessed his father and brother killed in a bomb blast. After that, he stopped talking and smiling. “Aman (name changed) couldn’t read or write. Now he knows five letters and five numbers,” tells teacher Feruza Abdulayeva (name changed). “At first, he was quiet and refused to eat. UNICEF specialists helped us by providing support and guidance.”
How did the children cope with the language barrier and psychological difficulties after experiencing such traumatic events? Is there ongoing support in place for them?
The children faced significant challenges due to the language barrier and psychological difficulties after enduring traumatic events. It was a tough journey for them, but with the support from organizations like UNICEF, they are gradually overcoming these obstacles. Ongoing assistance and counseling are being provided to ensure their well-being and successful integration into their new lives in Kyrgyzstan.
“The story of these children is truly heartwarming. It is inspiring to see how they have overcome so many challenges and are now thriving in a new environment. Adina’s dedication to her family and the support from organizations like UNICEF are commendable. It’s a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit.”
Adina Mahidilova (name changed) remembers the day when her two nephews arrived in Jalal-Abad, located in southern Kyrgyzstan: “My nephews were very scared. They didn’t hug me and didn’t even hold my hand like my own children did. I was very worried about their well-being.” Along with Adina’s worries came financial problems. She did not have her own house, she rented an apartment where she lived with her two children. Now she had to also look after her two nephews. “UNICEF helped us,” Adina recounts. “The foundation provided us with money to buy the most essential things, such as clothes, shoes, and school supplies.” The two boys had to quickly adapt to the school curriculum and life in a new place. “I decided to enroll them in school,” remembers the deputy head of the primary school, Zulfia Kiyalbekova (name changed). “I simply couldn’t leave the children without education. Yes, it was challenging, but UNICEF came to our aid. They conducted trainings and seminars for teachers, explained what problems we might face and how to solve them.” There were many challenges. Besides the language barrier, there were psychological difficulties. In front of one of the boys, his father and brother were killed in a bomb explosion. After witnessing this, he stopped talking and smiling. “Aman (name changed) couldn’t read or write. Now he knows five letters and five numbers,” recounts the teacher Feruza Abdulayeva (name changed). “At first, he was quiet and didn’t want to eat. UNICEF specialists helped him recover his speech and joyful demeanor.”
Adina Mahidilova (name changed) recalls the day when her two nephews arrived in Jalal-Abad, located in southern Kyrgyzstan: “My nephews were very scared. They didn’t hug me or even hold my hand like my own children did. I was very worried about their state.” Alongside Adina’s worries were financial problems. She didn’t have her own house, she rented an apartment where she lived with her two children. Now she had to also take care of her two nephews. “We were helped by UNICEF,” Adina recounts. “The organization provided us with money to buy the most essential items, such as clothes, shoes, and school supplies.” The two boys had to quickly adapt to the school program and life in a new place. “I decided to enroll them in school,” recalls the vice principal of the elementary school Zulfia Kiyalbekova (name changed). “I simply couldn’t leave the children without education. Yes, it was not easy, but UNICEF came to the rescue. They held trainings and seminars for teachers, explained what problems we might face and how to solve them.” There were many challenges. Besides the language barrier, there were also psychological difficulties. One of the boys witnessed his father and brother getting killed in a bomb explosion. After that, he stopped talking and smiling. “Aman (name changed) couldn’t read or write. Now he knows five letters and five numbers,” tells the teacher Feruza Abdulayeva (name changed). “At first, he was quiet and didn’t want to eat. Specialists from UNICEF helped him break out of his shell.”
Adina Mahidilova (name changed) recalls the day when her two nephews arrived in Jalal-Abad, located in the south of Kyrgyzstan: “My nephews were very scared. They didn’t hug me or even hold my hand like my own children did. I was very worried about their well-being.” Along with Adina’s concerns came financial problems. She didn’t have her own home, she rented an apartment where she lived with her two children. Now she had to take care of her two nephews as well. “UNICEF helped us,” Adina recounts. “The fund provided us with money to buy the most essential things, such as clothes, shoes, and school supplies.” The two boys had to quickly adapt to the school curriculum and life in the new place. “I decided to enroll them in school,” remembers deputy headteacher of the elementary school Zulfia Kiyalbekova (name changed). “I simply couldn’t leave the children without education. Yes, it was challenging, but UNICEF came to our aid. They conducted trainings and seminars for teachers, explained the problems we might face and how to solve them.” There were many problems. Apart from the language barrier, there were also psychological difficulties. One of the boys witnessed his father and brother die in a bomb explosion. After that, he stopped talking and smiling. “Aman (name changed) couldn’t read or write. Now he knows five letters and five numbers,” tells teacher Feruza Abdulayeva (name changed). “At first, he was quiet and didn’t want to eat. UNICEF specialists helped him gradually open up and start learning.”
Adina Mahidilova (name changed) recalls the day when her two nephews arrived in Jalal-Abad, located in the south of Kyrgyzstan: “My nephews were very scared. They didn’t hug me, and didn’t even hold my hand like my own children did. I was very worried about their well-being.” Along with Adina’s worries came financial problems. She didn’t have her own house and was renting an apartment where she lived with her two children. Now she had to take care of her two nephews as well. “UNICEF helped us,” Adina recounts. “The foundation provided us with money to buy the most essential things, such as clothes, shoes, and school supplies.” The two boys had to quickly adapt to the school curriculum and life in a new place. “I decided to enroll them in school,” recalls the deputy head of an elementary school, Zulfia Kiyalbekova (name changed). “I simply couldn’t leave the children without education. Yes, it was challenging, but UNICEF came to our aid. They conducted trainings and seminars for teachers, explaining the problems we may face and how to solve them.” There were many challenges. In addition to the language barrier, there were also psychological difficulties. One of the boys witnessed his father and brother killed in a bomb explosion. After that, he stopped talking and smiling. “Aman (name changed) couldn’t read or write. Now he knows five letters and five numbers,” tells the teacher Feruza Abdulayeva (name changed). “Initially, he was quiet and didn’t want to eat. UNICEF specialists helped with his trauma and language development.”
Could you provide more details on the educational support programs offered to the repatriated children in Kyrgyzstan mentioned in the article?
Sure, Emily! The educational support programs provided for the repatriated children in Kyrgyzstan include training sessions and seminars for teachers, addressing potential challenges and ways to solve them. This assistance was crucial in helping the children adapt to the school curriculum and life in a new environment, as shared by the school deputy principal Zulfiya Kiyalbekova. Despite the numerous difficulties faced, such as language barriers and psychological traumas, the support from UNICEF played a vital role in their progress and well-being.
Adina Mahidilova (name changed) remembers the day when her two nephews arrived in Jalal-Abad, located in the south of Kyrgyzstan: “My nephews were very scared. They didn’t hug me and didn’t even hold my hand like my own children did. I was very worried about their condition.” Along with Adina’s worries, financial problems arose. She didn’t have her own house, she rented an apartment where she lived with her two children. Now she had to take care of her two nephews as well. “UNICEF helped us,” Adina says. “The foundation provided us with money to buy the most essential things, such as clothes, shoes, and school stationery.” The two boys had to quickly adapt to the school curriculum and life in a new place. “I decided to enroll them in school,” recalls the deputy head of the primary school Zulfia Kiyalbekova (name changed). “I simply couldn’t leave the children without education. Yes, it was difficult, but UNICEF came to our aid. They conducted trainings and seminars for teachers, explaining the problems we might face and how to solve them.” There were many challenges. Besides the language barrier, there were psychological difficulties. One of the boys lost his father and brother in a bomb explosion. After witnessing this, he stopped talking and smiling. “Aman (name changed) couldn’t read or write. Now he knows five letters and five numbers,” says the teacher Feruza Abdulayeva (names changed). “At first, he was quiet and didn’t want to eat. UNICEF specialists helped us.”
Adina Mahidilova (name changed) recalls the day when her two nephews arrived in Jalal-Abad, located in the south of Kyrgyzstan: “My nephews were very frightened. They didn’t hug me or even hold my hand like my own children did. I was very worried about their condition.” Along with Adina’s worries came financial problems. She didn’t have her own house; she rented an apartment where she lived with her two children. Now she had to look after two nephews as well. “UNICEF helped us,” says Adina. “The foundation allocated money for the purchase of the most necessary things, such as clothes, shoes, and school supplies.” The two boys had to quickly adapt to the school curriculum and life in a new place. “I decided to enroll them in school,” recalls the deputy head of the elementary school Zulfia Kiyalbekova (name changed). “I just couldn’t leave the children without an education. Yes, it wasn’t easy, but UNICEF came to the rescue. They conducted trainings and seminars for teachers, explaining what problems we might face and how to solve them.” There were many challenges. Besides the language barrier, there were also psychological difficulties. One of the boys lost his father and brother in a bomb explosion. After witnessing that, he stopped talking and smiling. “Aman (name changed) couldn’t read or write. Now he knows five letters and five numbers,” says the teacher Feruza Abdulayeva (name changed). “At first, he was quiet and didn’t want to eat. UNICEF specialists helped him with therapy and slowly he started to open up.”