Pottery master class for children of military and veterans held in Kyiv region with the support of MHP Next door program

A master class in clay modeling and pottery for children of military personnel and veterans was held in the village of Myrne, Kyiv region, UNN reports.

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Nineteen garlic workers aged 10 to 12 joined the classes. Anastasia Omelyanchuk is among them. Her father is defending his homeland in the ranks of the National Guard of Ukraine. The girl says she decided to join the workshop to improve her creative skills.

"I'm interested in making some kind of jug, I like working with clay. I want to make a bowl or vase for my mom," she says.

The son of a Ukrainian intelligence officer, Davyd Bondar, also joined the master class. The boy made a clay cartridge case for his father. He says the lesson was fun and exciting for him.

"It's interesting to make different molds out of clay. It's very cool," he says.

Victor Bulgakov, a master and head of the Pottery Rehabilitation Center, taught the classes. He says that clay therapy is important for both active military personnel and veterans and their families.

"Love for clay is special. It has no verbal explanation. We cannot express many emotions in words. These are such deep feelings that children especially catch and convey immediately," he said.

For two hours, Victor taught the children how to work with clay and how to work on a potter's wheel. During the lesson, the participants were able to bring their own creative ideas to life.

The master class was held as part of the MHP Next Door program from the MHP Community Foundation. The program is aimed at supporting the military, veterans and their families during their service and after returning from war. As part of the program, the foundation cooperates with the Pottery Rehabilitation Center, said Serhiy Strelchuk, coordinator for military and veterans relations.

"Our children live in a difficult time. They know what anxiety is, what fear is. And clay therapy, in the process of working with it, relieves this stress, tension, fears, and distracts from everyday life. That's why we organize such events for the military, veterans and their families, and directly for children," he explained.

At the end of the lesson, the children demonstrated their crafts. Various dishes, animals and toys that they will soon paint will decorate their home shelves.

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MHP Next Door is a program of individualized support and comprehensive assistance to military personnel, veterans and their families. The program supports military personnel, veterans and their families during their service and after returning from the war: humanitarian aid to military units; medical examination, treatment and rehabilitation; legal and psychological support; social reintegration; professional adaptation and inclusive sports activities.

In May 2023, the company launched the MHP Next door program to support the military, veterans and their families. And in the fall of 2023, the Center for Interaction with the Military and Veterans was launched as part of this program, whose coordinators and experts communicate directly with defenders and their families and provide individual support and all necessary support.