The Deloitte Foundation and World Vision opened a center that will provide educational and recreational activities for Ukrainian children, as well as psychological, legal and occupational counseling for their mothers, located in Tei Student Sports and Cultural Complex in Bucharest. A second similar center, located in the fifth district of the Capital, is in the construction phase and will be opened this summer.
"This project is at the intersection between our strategic focus on inclusion through education, which we execute through multiple global and local initiatives, and the enthusiastic commitment of the entire Deloitte family in support of the Ukrainian cause, already manifested through the help we provided to colleagues in Ukraine (including hiring) and their families, through three blood donation campaigns and fundraising. Choosing to get involved in this project with World Vision was therefore a natural choice, considering that the Ukrainian refugees’ need for integration is huge - for children, through education and activities specific to their age, to help them cope with the trauma they are going through, and for their mothers, through help for integration into the labor market, so that they can support their families until they return home. I thank my colleagues who did not hesitate to volunteer for the two Deloitte centers in Bucharest, our partners at World Vision and the authorities which support this project", said Alexandru Reff, Country Managing Partner, Deloitte Romania.
The space is called Happy Bubble, has an area of about 80 square meters and can accommodate up to 40 children daily. The planned activities are addressed to school children of all ages and include Romanian and English classes, financial education, robotics, painting, music, dance. The beneficiaries will also be provided with lunch meals. "We are grateful that our partners at Deloitte responded immediately to our call to support Ukrainian children by creating a Happy Bubble space, where the little ones can continue their studies, receive psychological counseling and play. Multiple studies show that children living in conflict zones face a major risk of anxiety, depression and other emotional disorders. Effects that can last for many years, even in their adult lives. Children need to feel safe, to play, socialize, learn. They need to feel that life goes on and that there is hope for them," said Mihaela Nabar, Executive Director, World Vision Romania.
The space was specifically designed to provide daily assistance to Ukrainian families, especially children, after the Child Friendly Spaces model developed by World Vision based on an international methodology, implemented in several areas of the globe where refugees live. These friendly spaces for children who are going through emergency situations are created to provide them with a safe, calm and comfortable environment, so that they can find the play and educational routine they had at home, at least partially. 
