Vodafone's charities.connected free SIMs initiative is helping to connect digitally excluded people with the support of its 1,500-plus charity partners.
Imagine escaping from a terrifying war and arriving in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language. Imagine having to leave members of your family behind, not knowing whether you will ever see them again. Now imagine you are seven years old.
Thousands of scared and traumatised children like this are arriving in the UK from war-ravaged countries such as Ukraine. And thankfully, there are many charities – supported by Vodafone’s everyone.connected campaign – on hand ready to help
One such, Bookmark Reading, is a children’s literacy charity that has organised “treasure chest” boxes filled with goodies, such as picture books, sensory comfort toys, and tablets loaded with e-books and literacy apps, to give to Ukrainian refugee children.
“The Bookmark Boxes for Ukraine were curated with the help of literary experts for Ukrainian child refugees aged 5-9 arriving in the UK to make them feel welcomed and comfortable in their new surroundings,” explains Sharon Pindar, the charity’s founder and Chair of Trustees.
“They also help the children build familiarity with the English language.”
Through its charities.connected initiative, part of the everyone.connected campaign, Vodafone has given Bookmark Reading 5,000 SIMs loaded with 20GB of data to help the children and their families stay in touch with loved ones around the world.
“We’re so grateful for Vodafone’s support with our urgent appeal – 5,000 families will now benefit from their generosity,” says Mrs Pindar.
Volunteer supporters read with the children online and in schools, helping them gain confidence in English while also providing books in Ukrainian as a point of familiarity and comfort. The charity has already distributed around 1,500 of the boxes and says that they are being very well received by the children and their families.
Mykhailo Radchenko, from Kyiv, arrived in the UK with his wife and two children, Stefania and Mark, in April.
He said: “My children are very happy with the boxes. Mark’s favourite part of the box is the pencil case because he doesn’t have one for school.”
My child is happy and has already begun to study. May the good deeds you are doing return to you
(Ukrainian parent)
Another refugee parent who wished to remain anonymous, said: “Thank you very much for the box with the items my child needed. Words cannot express our gratitude. Thank you for the Ukrainian translated books, the notebooks, tablet and everything else.
“My child is happy and has already begun to study. May the good deeds you are doing return to you.”
If you would like to donate to the charity, click through to Bookmark’s JustGiving page. Your contributions will help buy school stationery sets, sensory games and storytelling aids, books, and tablets to go in the boxes.
If you are a charity who may benefit from Vodafone’s charities.connected free SIMs programme, click on the link and follow the instructions.
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