Summer camp in Armenia helps displaced youth settle in

Title: Summer camp in Armenia helps displaced youth settle in.

Type: Article

Location: Lake Sevan, Armenia

Name of Responsible Persons:

Source: UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency

Date: 18 September, 2017.

The article discusses how a summer camp organized for displaced youths currently residing in Armenia helped them overcome socio-cultural barriers, build self-confidence and make new friends. The summer camp was two weeks long and set up by YMCA NGO Vardenis to promote social and cultural integration and to improve the emotional and psychological well-being of displaced and refugee youth. The activities included theatre, music, art, team-building and sports.

Maral, a Syrian girl who attended the summer camp described what she gained from the camp: “What I liked most was swimming in the lake with my new friends, and our leader Nareg who was protecting us from the waves. I feel at home in Armenia and I am honoured to be part of my new homeland.”

The camp not only benefited the displaced youth, but it also impacted others, for instance Nareg, a camp leader from Australia. “I heard the testimonies of the campers, and I am impressed by their spirit and strength. I am now full of empathy towards refugees in the world, I now feel different and think differently.”

The summary was created from UNHCR’s website, follow this link for more details.