Mentally disabled young people in summer camp at Gyula City

It was a summer camp from the 4th to the 11th July in Gyula (www.gyula.hu). The HAND IN HAND FOUNDATION from Hungary and the RED CROSS from Oslo made it possible for 23 mentally disabled young people and their caretakers from Transylvanian (the territory Partium, mostly from Bihor County) to go on wonderful summer camp. Mr. Akos Pordan, general director of the HAND IN HAND FOUNDATION (www.kezenfogva.hu) offered this possibility to the BACH office in Oradea. The foundation’s president Mrs. Zsuzsa Göncz organized the 7th summer camp forthe Transylvanian mentally disabled young people.

The foundation from Oslo given financial assistance for this camp, which covered all the expenses (e.g. the travel, food, accommodation and also for the various activities). The summer camp program was very flexible, various and exciting.

They were in the "Fortress" swimming-pool, visited a farm museum where they made friends with cats, dogs, wonderful horses and cows, went for a walk in the historical city fortress, and also had different crafts activities. In these occupations they made little dolls out of maize, baked gingerbread and made many beautiful paper flowers. Part of he program was a trip by boat and water-bike, and also a sightseeing tour with a rishka.

The aim of the summer camp was also to educate the mentally disabled young people for a more independent life.

It is very important to take a disabled person out of our family and give us just a minimal help, so that they can find an own place in the free society.

In the camp, the relations between the youths were very important, because in this group there were some young people who never had the possibility to participate in such a camp and lived very isolated.

The mentally disabled young people returned home with many unforgettable memories.

As it is very important to get the possibility to organize such trips, so we want to thank the HAND IN HAND FOUNDATION and the RED CROSS from Oslo.