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Province helps fund summer day camp for Ukrainian refugees

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The Manitoba government is helping fund a nine-week summer day camp for school-aged Ukrainian children who have recently arrived following Russia’s invasion in February.

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On Thursday, Premier Heather Stefanson announced that the province would give up to $106,000 to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Provincial Council to offer the summer camp.

The province says the camp will offer a variety of educational, cultural and recreational activities including field trips and transportation for more than 120 kids. The summer camp will also give English lessons and trauma-informed, culturally appropriate mental health care.

Joanne Lewandowsky, president of UCC-MPC, told reporters during the announcement at Chornick Park in Winnipeg that although it may seem like a modest amount of money, she’s convinced that the camp will have a broader impact in helping children and families overcome the trauma and upheaval and integrating them into Manitoba.

The camp began on July 4 and will run throughout the summer. Arina Chychul, one of the camp participants said she is grateful that the counsellors never let the kids get bored.

“Every day, we [do] a lot of outdoor activities, arts and crafts, and learn some new facts about Canada and [the] English language,” she said.

The federal government says more than 35,455 Ukrainian citizens have arrived in Canada between Jan. 1 and May 22.

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