Aid to refugees from southeast Ukraine in Russia continues

In early 2017, the aid to refugees from southeast Ukraine in the Russian frontier regions continued. The emergency aid program for the refugees who stand in the greatest need was organized in the Belgorod region under the aegis of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and with the support of the international Christian alliance 'Action by Churches Together', and implemented by the Russia Round Table.

This project became a continuation of the long-standing cooperation in emergency relief to victims of various emergencies in Russia and abroad, including Ukrainian refugees in 2015-2016. The Round Table's newsletter regularly informed its readers about this work.

In February - March 2017, aid was given to 935 people in Belgorod and adjacent areas in the Belgorod Region. They received kits with bedding and blankets. Also the work of parishes of the Belgorod Metropolia was supported that provide psychosocial assistance to the affected, first of all to children. In particular, a training seminar "Motor therapy in the correction of developmental disabilities" was organized for specialists and volunteers assisting refugee and disabled children.The preparation of lists of beneficiaries of the aid and its distribution were carried out in close cooperation with the authorized structures of the Belgorod Metropolia and in coordination with the Department of Church Charity and Social Service.

It is necessary to note that from the very beginning of the armed confrontation in southeast Ukraine, the Russian Orthodox Church has not stopped her efforts for giving aid to the affected civilians in the very conflict zone, as well as to those who had to leave their homes and found refuge in various regions of Ukraine and Russia. At present, there are almost three million refugees and displaced people from the conflict zone staying in these regions. The Department for External Church Relations and the Russia Round Table implemented in 2015-2016 several initiatives for giving aid to Ukrainian refugees with the help of inter-church partners: Action by Churches Together, the Samaritan's Purse and the Bully Graham Evangelistic Association.

The newsletter of the Russia Round Table will continue informing its readers about humanitarian relief for victims of emergency situations.

Seminar on correction of development disorders

A training seminar on movement therapy in correcting children with development disorders was held for parents and specialists from March 2 to 4, 2017, in Belgorod. It was organized by with the support of the Moscow Patriarchate's department for external church relations, Belgorod and Stary Oskol diocesan department for social service and the Luch Sveta (Sunray) charitable foundation for aid to the disabled. It was carried under the guidance of Ms. Victoria Osipova, Candidate of Psychological Sciences, psychologist, traumatologist and neuro-psychologist.

Presented at the seminar were various techniques for correcting sensor integration disorders, which allow detecting various dysfunctions and, depending on the type of the dysfunction, to set out an individual correction program. Vivid disorders in sensor integration are observed in such diagnosis as cerebral infantile paralysis, autism, mental retardation, etc. The correction work with these disorders is called ergotherapy.

The participants in the seminar were introduced to the methods of diagnosing various types of sensor integration disorders, such as Feldenkreis method, Child' Space technique and Castillo Morales method. The mastering of these methods in the work with special children and adults helps to select the methods of communication and rehabilitation best suited for a particular type of sensor integration disorder. The participants were informed about basic directions and methods of body-oriented therapy. The presenters also spoke about how to detect where a problem 'lives' in a human body, what are the causes of its development and how it is manifested. They also explained what the techniques of centering and breathing, the dynamic paired gymnastics and the technique of 'earthing', 'prop' and 'I and my body' consist in. The participants also received methodological materials with recommendations and exercises for correcting various types of development deviations.

From https://ok.ru/luchsvet/topic/66548833681531