From 27 to 31 July, we went on a summer camp with the girls from the Don Bosco Centre for Information, Counselling and Educational Support (CIKOP) in the Karandila area, staying at the Dekotex mountain lodge. The theme of the camp was the magical land of “Narnia”, and our team decided to focus the workshops, games and discussions on the topic of “family”.
The camp began with a visit to Waterland near the village of Ovoshnik. We had lunch outdoors and then continued towards the Balkan Mountains. After settling into the lodge, we held a “Family Tree” workshop in the afternoon. Each girl created her own family tree, including the relatives she knows personally or knows about. In the evening, we had a discussion about both happy and difficult memories connected with our families. Anna Kisyova and Martina Staneva-Antonova were responsible for the programme that day.
On the second day, we went hiking through the forest. Following a long trail, we walked down to the chairlift station and then took the lift back up, enjoying the beautiful view along the way. On our return through the forest, we played team games focusing on conflicts within the family. Monika Kisyova and František Bláha were responsible for the programme that day.
We ended the day with a spa session, followed by a private meeting where we discussed topics that the girls were interested in – a special “girls-only” conversation.
The third day was dedicated to the positive aspects of our families. The activities were led by European Solidarity Corps volunteer Marie Anna Kapicová and her friend Tereza Janatková, who also provided us with invaluable support during this year’s summer activities. The programme included a multi-stage game, a crown-making workshop and, later that night, a night game.
The fourth day began with another multi-stage game in the forest, followed by a visit to the rope park near the lodge. We also collected firewood for the evening campfire and rehearsed plays. In the evening, we lit the campfire, watched the performances, and presented certificates and gifts to everyone. The programme that day was led by Viktoria Dvoretskaya, a summer volunteer from the Czech Republic, and Marcos Dalla Sia.
During the third and fourth days, together with the girls, we also prepared a special “elixir”. In our case, it was propolis tincture, which everyone took home to help support their immune system during the winter months.
On Friday, we had breakfast, tidied the rooms and the lodge, packed all our luggage and set off once again for Waterland.
Throughout the camp, Gianni and Latinka took care of our meals. They made the whole experience even more special by preparing delicious food – and plenty of it!
— Martina Staneva-Antonova
Marie Anna Kapicová was a key assistant and leader throughout the camp. She worked with our organisation for 11 months as part of the project “Education – the Key to a Better Future”, 2024-1-BG01-ESC51-VTJ-000223373, co-funded by the European Commission’s European Solidarity Corps programme.
Към началото
