For the third time in history, The Italian Embassy in Prague, Chance 4 Children and the Tender to NAVE ITALIA Foundation, under the auspices of the Ministry of Health, are carrying out a charity project “On board with Nave Italia”.
The project originates in Italy and has been very succesfull so far. It is a five-day Mediterranean cruise that can be attended by children after oncological treatment and children from orphanages. During their trip, they enjoy a lot of fun, visit interesting places and also meet hospitalized children in Italian hospitals.
Thanks to the cooperation with UNICREDITBANK, which financially supported the expedition, 6 children from children’s homes (Nové Strašecí, Kralupy nad Vltavou and Písek) and 6 children after oncological treatment from the Brno hospital and Motol hospital will participate in this year’s dream trip.
Every one of them has gone through very difficult life situations – they either had to deal with a severe illness or had been pulled out of the natural world of their peers who grow up in their own families.
During the cruise, an entertainment program takes place under the supervision of experts, which helps children to re-enter normal life. They have the opportunity to be part of the program as well as the creators themselves, as they will prepare their own program for patients from the Olbio Children’s Clinic during the cruise.
We know from previous years’ experience that this activity has a positive impact on both groups of children – they all enjoy the joy of helping others, and for those who make their own fun for sick children, it is an unforgettable experience. We have witnessed their vast sensitivity, compassion, understanding, as well as open hope and belief that difficulties can be overcome and that one day they will be better again.
During the expedition, the perception of children changes at all levels – from social (thanks to the contact with families in the centre for mothers with children in Rome), through cultural (thanks to the visits of monuments in the Vatican, Rome and Olbia), to the emotional one – they themselves help to create positive experiences for other children, they become more empathetic and, thanks to what they have seen on their journey, also better educated.
More information about the project from previous years can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/expedicesnaveitalia/
Zuzana Šrámková
