Description of organisation

Arms Wide Open was established in 2022 by a group of volunteers of different nationalities in response to the humanitarian crisis of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. The Association is made up of people of different religious affiliations, cultural identities and nationalities, including those from countries in the conflict. The mission of the organisation is to bring refugees and people at risk into Bulgarian society and to give everyone in it an equal chance. Main objectives and activities: integration through education, socialization and inclusion; psychological, logistical and material support; creation, following and coordination of good practices and models for the integration of refugees. The main focus of our work is children and young people, organizing many different educational, socialization and development programs. For three consecutive years, within two months during the summer holidays, the Association has organized a Summer School that has covered more than 300 children and their families, thus managing to form a kind of community around itself. During the school year, weekly Bulgarian language courses and various creative activities are held. These courses contribute immensely to mental and emotional wellbeing, with participants gaining experience of coping with stress through creativity and developing self-regulation skills. This helps them to adapt to new challenges in the future.