The Dashin’s Foundation became an official partner of the innovative program for children with additional needs
In September 2021, the Andrey & Julia Dashin’s Foundation became an official partner of the Little Odysseus and sponsored the innovative ‘Alice Discovers’ program set up for children with additional needs. This fruitful collaboration enabled two public elementary schools and a child development centre in Limassol to benefit from a team of specialists, teachers, educators, writers, and artists, under the umbrella of the yearly literature program, which uses a holistic approach and aims to support children through art, books, and the implementation of growth mindset theories.
“When we heard about the ‘Alice Discovers’ program, we knew it was something we wanted to get involved in. The program, set up for children with additional needs, is fundamentally an experiential project. But we felt it offered so much more than that. The Dashin’s Foundation is passionate about getting involved in programs such as this, that enable any child, with whatever unique needs they may have, to participate in activities that help foster a sense of belonging,” shared the founder, Julia Dashina.
By working in small, focused groups, children were able to thrive due to the individual attention they were given. The activities based around reading helped reinforce an essential life skill; the games they played allowed them to have fun with each other in a safe environment. The kinetic exercises encouraged valuable core strength, and all enjoyed the multi-sensory activities. The calm, unhurried, and relaxed atmosphere made the ‘Alice Discovers’ program as stress-free as possible for participating children, parents, and teachers.
On May 21 and 22, together with our founder Andrey Dashin, the students, their parents, teachers, and employees of Exinity with their families, we created a play wall of stories, painted and decorated the space, and celebrated the successful completion of our yearly program. All children received gift sets and, in return, prepared an exceptional present as a gesture of gratitude – a plush drawing picturing themselves together with Andrey Dashin inside the air balloon on a mission to explore the world.
“It’s essential that all children, regardless of their needs, get the chance to socialize together. We believe that doing so encourages compassion, tolerance and respect, vital skills in a modern world,” commented on his participation Andrey Dashin.
Innovative education is a field of great importance. It must be supported to be accessible to every child, regardless of ethnicity, skin colour, gender, ability, or other social discrimination and prejudices. We are proud to support Little Odysseus and its program and look forward to future productive cooperation on other projects.