Katioshia Hassan: Our real country is the country that contains us and the one we live in, not the one in which we were born

Katioshia Hassan moved to Sweden with her family in 2017, and she currently works as a student assistant, in addition to carrying out many activities that target children primarily. It seeks to stimulate the creative sense of children, and teach them the value of time and the value of the things around them so that they can make something valuable from it. It also teaches the child to be independent and can rely on himself.

-I do not feel alienated in Sweden, because the weather is the same as in my country. Also, our real country is the country that contains us and that we live in, not the one in which we were born." As Katioshia Hassan says.

How did you learn the skill of recycling and crafts?

When we were young we were not allowed to watch TV, so my sisters and I used to spend the summer holidays learning a lot of things like drawing, and knitting. Then I learned to draw on glass and mirrors, even gifts we used to make ourselves. There were summer camps for students and we would stay away from our families for five weeks. I was the one who taught the rest of the students to draw on mirrors and glass, and to arrange flowers and so on.

During the war, Katioshia worked in Syria as a volunteer with the United Nations in the program for refugee children in the camps.

- I didn’t want to train the children in recreational activities. I thought about teaching them things that they would benefit from, so I decided to teach the children to recycle. The idea was to teach the children to take advantage of the things around them and use them as substitutes for the things they could not buy. For example, I taught them to recycle cans of beans and soap. They use them as things to put pens, toothpaste, etc. In addition to making and decorating bags, and making cards and gifts for their friends. She Says.

How did the idea of starting children's activities come here in Växjö?

The beginning was when I went to pick up my daughter from the Araby park arena, the kids had left a lot of mess behind and left a lot of tools like little balls, glue and papers. The employees were cleaning the place and getting rid of these tools and throwing them in the garbage. I was shocked when I saw them! First, because these materials are expensive. Secondly, there are a lot of children in a lot of countries who can't have these things. Also, these things can be recycled and used. I asked them if I could volunteer in this activity. I began by teaching children to make greeting cards from colored paper as well as newspapers and magazines. After that, I worked with the municipality officially and did several training courses at Araby park arena, Sensus and ABF.

What activities do you carry out?

I carried out the activity of teaching handicrafts and recycling at the Araby park arena and samhälle course at ABF. As well as Sewing activity for children was carried out with Sensus and ABF, where children learn to sew toys and clothes, shopping bags and sports bags, and embroidery. Last week they learned to sew a witch in order to celebrate Halloween. In addition, I did the Little Chef Project. In this course I taught children how to enter the kitchen and use kitchen appliances in a safe way. In addition to preparing some meals such as soup, pizza, pasta and sweets, as well as preparing and decorating cakes. The goal was to teach the child to rely on himself in preparing his food in case his parents are absent, and the child can also surprise his parents on special occasions and celebrate with others. I also presented another activity called "Soup and a Story". This activity was interspersed with other activities in which the children participate. The idea of the activity is to serve the soup that I prepare to the children and tell them a story while eating the soup. During the epidemic, the activity stopped, so I changed it to “breakfast and a story” and we used to meet in the park and I was preparing breakfast for the children and telling them a story while eating breakfast. I also carried out a project called "the Friends of Agriculture" for children. I love working with children. Especially those with special needs. Because children give us positive energy.

Katioshia points out that these activities created friendships between children and families. So that they communicate and meet outside the activities.

- We used to celebrate children's birthdays during activities, where children and their parents participate in the celebrations and give gifts to the child whose birthday we celebrate. Because most people here do not have relatives and when they celebrate children's holidays no one comes, so this was a good idea, to create friendships between families. Now I have contact with 67 families. We also celebrate all holidays such as Eid al-Fitr, Easter, Christmas, Halloween, Eid al-Adha and others. She says.

Katioshia got cancer in her hand and part of her hand was removed as a result.

- I refused chemotherapy and refused to amputate my hand. Although the doctors warned that the tumor might spread to the lungs,but I believed in God and in my destiny, because I know we are here in life just to deliver a message just like the postman. And here I am today enjoying good health. As Katioshia says.