A group of unaccompanied children in our Transit Accommodation Facility in Chios decided to present an improvised performance of the play “The Four Candles”, with the talented facility’s care giver undertaking the duties of “director”.
The lessons started, first with breathing and articulation exercises followed by exercises of expression and emotion performance. When the time came for the distribution of the roles, the children started laughing with anticipation, feeling a little anxious as well. Would they be able to deliver the appropriate feelings? Would they be worthy of the director’s choice?
Rehearsals took place in the light of candles in order for our little protagonists to deliver the mysterious atmosphere of the play, but also to present a high-level performance to their audience, the people who are by their side every day taking care of them, as well as the other children of the accommodation facility.
And the curtain rose!
“Four candles flicker inside a dark and very quiet cave. Peace, faith, love and hope. A child walks in and watches the candles going out one by one. People think they don’t need them anymore. Desperate and now terrified, the boy runs to the last candle (hope) and asks for help. Hope embraces him, fills him with warmth and together they help peace, faith and love rekindle.”
This dramatized allegory, helped us explain to the children – as well as realize ourselves – that, no matter how many difficulties appear in our lives, we must never lose hope, which helps us overcome any hard situation and move on stronger in life.
METAdrasi’s Transit Accommodation Facility in Chios is funded since June 2020 by EEA Grants in the framework of the Asylum and Migration programme.
Funded by EEA and Norway Grants
Fund operated by ΣΟΛ Crowe and HumanRights360