PROMISE

Our PROMISE project has begun under the European Solidarity Corps call “Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas”. Our aim is simple: to create a safe space for young people fleeing the war, and - together with local Hungarian youth - strengthen community through shared experiences, play, and learning.

We run three-week camps in Kállósemjén. Days start calmly with a circle to get to know each other, then we move into sports, crafts, and English and digital sessions. In the afternoon it might be robotics, cooking together, or a nearby trip. Evenings slow down: we talk about how the day felt, what was good, what was hard. Throughout, we look out for one another and keep the children’s physical and emotional safety front and center.

Volunteers from Hungary, Spain, and Türkiye are with us. They’re the ones who lean in with a kind word, sit down for a game of chess, and show that a shared language can be a smile or a drawing just as much as words.

For clarity, a few key facts:

• Timeline: 12 camps over 3 years

• Participation: about 24 Ukrainian and 12 Hungarian young people per session

• Contributors: around 72 youth volunteers (HU/ES/TR)

• Budget: €399,312

The Kállósemjéni Diákokért és Ifjakért Egyesület coordinates the project; our partners are Asociación Building Bridges (ES) and Sorgun Gençlik Derneği (TR), with a Ukrainian associate partner supporting recruitment and travel. We won’t keep our know-how to ourselves: we’re producing short videos and podcasts, and we’ll compile a practical, open-access handbook with games, cooperation exercises, and digital learning materials.

We believe shared experiences can heal - and that every young person deserves moments of success. If you’d like to follow the camps or support the work, keep an eye on our channels - more stories are coming soon.