Let’s Play for a Healthy Future

About This Project

Project Background

What lots of children from western European countries take for granted – playing, living and learning in a safe environment is luxury for most of the children that grow up in Shuto Orizari the biggest Roma municipality in Europe. The premises of C.S.I. Nadez are located in the heart of Shutka, a slum on the outskirts of Macedonian capital Skopje. Here the organization is maintaining a youth center which is visited by approximately 60 children per day. Despite the fact that the premises do not offer much to children that are not included in Nadez`s project you can find a large number of children playing here every day trying to escape Shutka’s small alleys that do not offer the space and freedom to play.
Kukuk Kultur is a nonprofit organization that originated from Kukuk, a German company that is specialized on building playgrounds not only in Germany but all over the world.
Kukuk teams up with other organizations and volunteers – mostly school classes – to bring a spot of color into young people’s gray and gloomy environments.
The 12 grad of “Walldorf School auf den Fildern” decided to carry out a social project instead of a traditional graduation trip. With the support of Kukuk’s know how they and another group of younger German students designed and built a playground according to the needs of the children in Shuto Orizari.

Project Summary

The project was aiming to develop and to construct a playground according to the needs of the children and the special conditions in Shutka. The empty and bleak premises gained new life and the aesthetic play equipments were not only meant to be educational but also to create a pleasant atmosphere. The Romani children were involved in designing and building the new external space, thus making it easier for them to accept, care for and maintain the newly designed area.
The constriction period was split in two. In the first period the school class did the main construction work. Later a second group of younger children from Germany, selected by Kukuk Kultur (“Kukuk Kids”) continued and finished their work.

Review

The project has been an inspiring experience for all parties involved. After only two weeks of efficient construction time the premises shone like new. Among other things a climbing wall as well as other climbing contraption, benches, new soccer goals, basketball hoops, a fire place and a sandpit have been build.