Report of the Children’s Embassy Megjashi for the adjusted activities due to the emergency situation as result of pandemic with the COVID-19

 Due to the emergency situation as a result of pandemic with COVID-19, Megjashi adjusted activities since it was not possible for the activities in March to be conducted as planned before. Therefore, the First Children’s Embassy in the World Megjashi adjusted the activities according to the need of the situation as below, school materials to the families with children who are from low economic status distribution of packages with food, hygienic means. The children that use the services of the Children’s Embassy Megjashi (day center, etc) and their families are in social risk, and because of the lockdown even the ones that used to work and earn minimal income lost their jobs, as a result of the process for providing food and hygienic means for their families became more complicated. Therefore, the funds that were planned for the workshops with children and parents were relocated for aid in food, hygienic means and school materials, which were distributed to 30 families.

Providing school materials to children made the children very happy because this helps them to spend more productive time, by writing and drawing during the time that they are not allowed to go out they can use for learning. The process of providing these packages was difficult due to the early time of starting lockdown (it starts from 4:00 pm till next day 05:00 am) and due to the need of social distance, who is allowed to distribute and also not to put no one to the risk. As result of all these it was found a way the packages to be send via a company for distributing packages which personal uses protective clothes. Megjashi created educational groups on social media named “Together at home” to encourage children and parents to spend quality time during the pandemic period beside this concern and activity, the longtime of children staying home is also an important topic.

In order to inspire the parents to spend quality time with the children during the time that they are home, came to an idea to be created an educative platform on a Facebook and Instagram group “Together at home” where parents and youth can share the ideas for quality spent time together at home. They share games that for children are interesting and educative on the same time. On the reporting time the groups have more than 2000 parents and children sharing their educative and interesting ideas, such as drawing, recycling, reusing, creating, etc. Public reaction and appeal to the companies for respecting the measures of the Government and Ministry of Health according to the parents of children who didn’t attend kindergarten due to the lockdown the Government came up with a decision that one parent of the children under 10 years old is allowed to stay at home and get the same salary. But this is possible only with a document from kindergarten or school that proves the attendance on kindergarten or school of the child. This raised issue to the parents who’s children didn’t attend kindergarten but were taken care by their baby sitter or their grandparents, now because of the social distance and the recommendations of the Ministry of Health and the Government they are not allowed to come and care for the children, as result the parents neither can get paid leave from job nor have someone to carry their children and are in risk to lose their job. This why the Children’s Embassy Megjashi came with an appeal to the companies to 1. The companies fully respect the measures for release of one parent from the work obligations of a child / children up to 10 years of age; 2. From the government, expansion of the same in terms of coverage of children who are not part of the educational system.

The Government, in cases where both parents / guardians work in public services such as police, fire service, health and other public institutions that must function in a crisis situation, to adopt a special measure for one parent / guardian of children up to 10 years be relieved of work obligations. Appeal to the Ministry of Education and Science for more care for the pupils and students during the pandemic The First Children's Embassy in the World Megjashi sent requests to the Ministry of Education and Science regarding the situation in education and encouraged by the numerous complaints from students, parents and teachers, regarding the dynamics and scope of classes realized during the emergency because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Due to the fact that the curfew starts at 16:00 to 05:00 the next day, parents ask students to be free from 12:00 to 16:00 in order to be given the opportunity to spend time outside during the day when it is allowed and then with their loved ones and on-line classes to start at 16:00. We support that children and young people have the right to play and spend time with their parents. It is desirable that we comply with these requirements and that teachers are the ones who will adapt to the new working hours from 16:00. In fact, the teachers themselves are also parents and we will enable them to be with their children and to use the time from 12 to 16 hours for socializing, creatively dedicated time.

 Parents and teachers regarding the excessive engagement of students in this period of coronavirus, complain that students are overwhelmed with homework, presentations, research for which they are obliged by teachers from whom the MoES requires grades for the quarter. Some subjects require students to be questioned one by one. Teachers and parents also believe that tests negatively affect children during this period because they have limited time, they become nervous, especially in families where there are more children, with parents working in education or parents who have to be at their jobs online. Not to mention the problems with the Internet or the request until April 17 to write all grades and hours in the E diary and access to it is impossible. In addition, teachers are required to write a weekly report on the work done while parents stay up late at night with the children in front of the screens working on the teaching tasks. The expected resistance among children and dissatisfaction from all parties involved in the educational process during this period of pandemic with KOVID-19 is quite expected. The workload of both students and teachers during this period is culminating.

We believe that it is necessary to give space to teachers to adjust the program according to the situation in which we are all caught with the pandemic and not according to what is mandatory according to the curriculum. Donation of protective equipment as scaffolding masks and coats for the Department of intensive care at the Children's Clinic and the Department for Children and Adolescents at the Psychiatric Clinic Due to the pandemic of COVID 19 lack of protective equipment was detected on more hospitals and clinics in the country. Children’s Embassy Megjashi donated 50 mask, 25 scaffolding coats and coats for the department of intensive care at the Children's Clinic and the Department for Children and Adolescents at the Psychiatric Clinic. A list of demands from the hospitals came to the Children’s Embassy for which we are waiting for funds in order to provide to the hospitals. Below there are few photos of the families and children to whom were provided packages with aid, food, hygienic means and school materials.