Moldova Children win over the bad weather at Fair Play event

Project : MOVE 8 Oct 2011 | psychosocial social exclusion inclusion

September 24th, 2011, Suruceni, Moldova: On Saturday, more than 120 children between 7 and 11, forty parents and twenty animators participated at a Fairplay Event. Because of the bad weather the event didn’t take place at the stadium of Chisinau. Thanks to the initiative of MOVE project manager, Lilia Dunai the location of the event was moved to a big enough in-door gym in the village of Suruceni, where she drove the children and their companions.

While the gym was being prepared for the games, the children didn’t just lay around. They would play their own games, jumping and running around the sport center.The event started, with the support of the main methodology specialist from the General Direction of Education, Youth and Sport Nicu Paduret and the principal of the Dinceni Gymnasium Maria Cordonean.

The children, divided in 10 teams and being guided by the animators, had 15 minutes to play each game. The Suruceni gym was transforming into a national MOVE “Olympics”, different games being played at the same time, different styles and maneuvers being conducted by the children and their teachers. Being created in a way that every child gets included, the games allowed for everybody to play and to win in a fair way.

During the football match that the children played with their parents, everybody got to feel free of their daily problems and routines, the adults becoming kids again and enjoying their quality time with their off-springs. Some rules and no losers – the true spirit of a fair play football match – gave the participants the satisfaction of playing with the other team and not against it.

At the end of the event each child got a medal for playing and being cooperative and the schools got small gifts in the form of sports inventory for the extracurricular activities with the pupils.

The issues of the children in socially-vulnerable situations, as well as the well-being of those whose parents are abroad, are a priority for Terre des hommes in Moldova. The foundation considers that the development of the spirit of cooperation and partnership is in the best interest of the child. The implementation of the “Movement, Games and Sport” methodology in organizing sport activities can help children develop their personality and social skills. Applying the MOVE instruments can help adults strengthen their psychosocial abilities to assure a child’s good environment.

In some communities of Soroca, Ungheni, Ialoveni and Chisinau districts the MGS methodology is already successfully introduced in the education system, being used in the extracurricular activities. The good results and the positive changes that were registered in the children’s behaviour after attending the MOVE activities mobilize Tdh into promoting the methodology in all the schools in Moldova.

The FAIRPLAY event was organized in cooperation with Cross Culture Project Association with their Open Fun Football Schools project, having the support of UEFA, as well as the Moldovan Football Federation.

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