Press release
Luxembourg, January 31, 2023
Amazon became a partner of Mriya school by LUkraine asbl
LUkraine asbl is pleased to announce the cooperation with Amazon Luxembourg within a project of Mriya school. Amazon Luxembourg graciously donated the school EUR 45K and supported it with tablets.
More than 5000 Ukrainian refugees have fled the war to Luxembourg since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia. Up to 1000 of them are children who are now forced to struggle with stress and adaptation issues. Being ripped away from their families, relatives, friends, and homes, they desperately need communication with those Ukrainians who share the same experience. To support kids with this, volunteers established Mriya school, an initiative of LUkraine asbl that aims to create an educational space filled with the Ukrainian language and Ukrainian culture, based on our great Ukrainian history and the experience of our ancestors.
At this moment, 50 students of age 3-10 years study at Mriya, and 9 teacher work there. Students at school study Ukrainian language, culture, traditions, history, and geography; celebrate Ukrainian holidays. Alongside, they study Luxembourgish history and cultural heritage and get familiar with the traditions of the country. Also, they take classes in music, dance, yoga, theatre, art, and painting.
The money allocated by Amazon Luxembourg are spent to cover the ongoing expenses incurred from the normal day-to-day of running a school – paying salaries and utility services, procurement of books, consumables for kids, food, and other expenses on demand. The company also provided 60 Amazon Fire HD 8 tablets to assist kids in their studying process.
“The issue of self-identification, Ukrainian authenticity, and culture preservation became part of Ukrainians’ struggle. It is much harder to perpetuate your national identity being far from home and a favorable environment. At the same time, you should integrate into the new society to become a member who cherishes and respects its culture, language, and history. This is how we came up with the idea of Mriya school, a place for kids that helps to cultivate their Ukrainian authenticity alongside assistance in inclusion in the new society. We are happy to know that such socially responsible businesses as Amazon Luxembourg cares about Ukrainian kids’ development and are provided with financial aid that maintains the schoolwork one year more” Olena Berkovich, a Project Manager of Mriya school, comments.
Olga and her sons Ruslan (11 y.o.) and Roman (9 y.o.) arrived from Kyiv to Luxembourg last spring right after the battles had started in the North of Ukraine. Her kids study at a local school, but in September she decided her sons to join Mriya.
“First, they didn’t want to come, but after a few times of attendance it became hard to take them back home”, Olga laughs. “In these obstacles, it is crucial for kids to find the same ones who share the same experience, values, and Ukrainian roots. They play here together, find friends, and share their own family or Ukrainian regional traditions. I am so much grateful to LUkraine asbl, Mriya, and Amazon Luxembourg for establishing this community for kids that helps them to recover after the recent challenges.”
About LUkraine: LUkraine asbl is a Luxembourg-based non-profit organization that was founded in 2014. Association unites the Ukrainian community in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to increase awareness about Ukraine in Luxembourg and contribute to humanitarian crisis relief in Ukraine. LUkraine focuses its activities on the fields of emergency response, sending ambulances, life-saving medical equipment, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Association provides informational, psychological, and humanitarian aid to refugees in Luxemburg. LUkraine also helps with the integration process through language and job-seeking courses.