Warm Winchester welcome for Ukrainian schoolgirl
Yaroslava arrived last year with her mum and elder sister
An eight-year-old schoolgirl who fled Ukraine following the Russian invasion has been warmly welcomed into a Winchester Brownie unit.
Yaroslava arrived at the end of May last year with her mum and elder sister after their home city of Mariupol came under siege.
Unable to speak English, Yaroslava was missing her friends and family back home as they started their lives from scratch thousands of miles away.
So, when one of their host family’s neighbours suggested she might like to try Brownies, Yaroslava was keen to give it a try.
Yaroslava said: “I like Brownies because I can meet my friends there and play with them. They have started to understand what I say to them, and I understand them as well.
“I was worried the first time I went because I didn’t know anyone, but everyone was very friendly.
“In Ukraine I attended lots of clubs but nothing like Brownies. I like it because we do lots of fun things and everyone makes me welcome.”
Her mother Maryna Dablo, who ran her own language centre in Ukraine and is now working as a teaching assistant, said: “Yaroslava has made friends at Brownies which I am so pleased about. She is happy there and it has really helped her with her English. She looks forward to going each week and has been warmly welcomed by all the girls and leaders.”
Mariupol has been militarily controlled by Russia since last May following a three-month-long siege by Russian forces.
“Leaving our home has been very hard for all of us. We cannot go back because it no longer exists,” said Maryna.
“When Mariupol was blocked we couldn’t leave for 50 days. We didn’t have a car and were worried about the kids but finally we got here. We are very thankful to the British people; they have encouraged and helped us a lot.”
Joining 5th Winchester City Brownies just a week after arriving in the area, the group – for girls aged seven to ten – meet once a week to enjoy fun activities, play games and earn skills builder badges.
Since joining Yaroslava has earnt both her First Aid skills builder and Mindfulness badges.
Despite the initial language barrier, Yaroslava opted to say her Brownie Promise in English instead of Ukrainian when she officially enrolled in December.
Leader of 5th Winchester City Brownies Sarah Wild said: “We are delighted to have Yaroslava as a member and are pleased that we've been able to help her make new friends, provide a safe friendly environment, learn new things and have fun.
“When Yaroslava first joined us, the language barrier meant that we weren’t always sure how much she understood despite our best efforts. However, over time her English has improved, and it was a wonderful moment when she chose to say her Promise in English despite having the option to say it in Ukrainian. She has really come out of her shell since joining us and always has a happy smile on her face.”
A total of 300 Ukrainian girls and women living in the UK are being given financial support to join Girlguiding and access the support, friendships and fun it provides.
The opportunity has been made possible after Girlguiding received a new financial grant from the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) in response to the emergency crisis caused by war in Ukraine.
The UK’s largest youth organisation dedicated completely to girls is offering a one-off payment of £100 per person eligible for the scheme, which will be paid directly to their unit.
The grant can be used to help with the cost of uniform and one year’s membership fees for girls, aged 4-18 years old, who wish to join Rainbows, Brownies, Guides or Rangers, and adults who would like to volunteer with the organisation.
It also covers the cost of translating key documents including the Girlguiding promises and laws that members pledge to keep into Ukrainian, along with welcome books, and additional expenses such as volunteer training.
Girlguiding’s International Commissioner Emma Guthrie said: “We want to ensure that Ukrainian girls arriving in the UK can join Girlguiding, and that they’re given a warm welcome into the community. The grant we’ve received from WAGGGS in response to the emergency crisis caused by war in Ukraine will help leaders to do just that.
“We want Girlguiding to be a place where everyone is welcome and free to be themselves, whoever they are and wherever they’re from.”
For more details of the fund and to find out more about joining, click here.