The sensory integration therapy room at the Special Schools Complex in Kowanówek has undergone a thorough metamorphosis. Thanks to the involvement of Amica Group volunteers and the support of the Amicis Foundation, a place was created that meets the needs of children with disabilities - it is friendly, functional and ready for everyday work with students.
It all started with a sports competition. Amica Group employees took part for the second time in a sports challenge, in which the kilometres they collected (in the categories of walking, running, cycling and rollerblading) translated into real help. The funds collected during the month-long campaign were donated to charity. One of them was to finance the equipment for the sensory integration room in Kowanówek - a space where children work on, among other things, concentration, motor coordination and a sense of balance.
Not only equipment, but also new walls
During the visit of volunteers and representatives of the Amicis Foundation to the Special Education Complex in Kowanówek, it turned out that purchasing the necessary equipment was not enough, and the space itself required a general renovation. The Amica Group and the Amicis Foundation joined forces and took matters into their own hands - literally.
"It was a demanding task because the amount of work surprised us. The walls were in very bad shape, but we knew that we wanted these children to feel good here and that we had to act," says one of the volunteers.
Volunteers from the Amica Group prepared the room for renovation: they cleaned the walls, primed them and installed new, brighter lighting. The next stages were the application of plaster and painting, carried out by a professional company - all costs related to the renovation were financed by the Amicis Foundation.
– Today, children benefit from a friendly and safe space, full of positive stimuli adapted to their needs. The new equipment not only improves the quality of classes, but also significantly affects the comfort and effectiveness of therapy – says Anna Rakowska, Manager of Employee and Social Projects at the Amica Group.
A school that gives children support and space
The Special School Complex in Kowanówek is a place that has been creating an atmosphere of mindfulness and acceptance for years. There is a primary school and a school preparing for work for students with various degrees of disability. In addition to teaching school subjects, it offers speech therapy, rehabilitation classes and various therapeutic programs, including sensory integration. The teachers include experienced specialists - also with nationwide recognition, such as Zyta Czechowska, winner of the Teacher of the Year title.
The facility bears the name of Father Jan Twardowski – a poet who, through his work, reminded us of simplicity, tenderness and attentiveness towards others. These values are present in the daily work of the school and also resounded during this project – implemented with children in mind, for whom the new space will help them function better and develop their potential.
This is not the first such campaign implemented by the Amicis Foundation in cooperation with Amica employees. Combining physical activity with helping those in need is one of the ideas of the employee volunteering program, which provides space for action - for the benefit of local communities.
