Through Their Eyes
Drawings and stories from the children we meet in our safe spaces around the world.
Oleksii, 4
Lviv, Ukraine
Oleksii, 4, draws the Safe Space when he misses it most: on weekends. In his drawing he depicts an oasis where one can be heard and receive unconditional love and care.
He does not remember what his life looked like a year ago. Oleksii could not control the tantrums and aggression typical of children whom the war has pushed into a corner, and his family was unable to place him in a kindergarten. Looking at him today, hugging his friends and respecting others, it is hard to believe this is Oleksii.
Erick, 10
New York, USA
Erick, 10, made a picture of himself, his mom, his dad and his brother. “My drawing,” he said, “shows my family members and the love that keeps us together.”
Erick’s mom says she is proud to see “how my son expresses his love for our family through his creativity.” While Erick learns and plays in the ESI program, she herself gains inner strength and can be part of the change.
Agam, 3
Shlomi, Israel
Agam, 3, comes with her mother to the Safe Space in Shlomi. Her town was shelled again and again for many months, and Agam has known fears no child her age should know.
Agam and her mother, Shir, made this picture together, mixing colors and spreading bold strokes across a yellow sheet. What they have lived through together is there on the page: without words, their brushstrokes tell of the storms they have been through and the calm they long for.
Sashko, 8
Lviv, Ukraine
Sashko, 8, has found a place where he feels safe. After a Russian missile destroyed his home and his trust in the world, Sashko became a child again in the ESI space, in a reality that does not encourage childhood. The words he wrote declare loudly: “I am Alex Superkids! I am safe, I am loved, I am important!”
Sashko drew the Safe Space in Lviv, named “Superkids”. Looking at the drawing, it is hard to imagine the journey he made, from a frightened, sad child who suffered severe tantrums to a lively little boy, well integrated into the Superkids community of children.
Keylee, 18 months
New York, USA
Keylee, 18 months, is fascinated by the bright colors of autumn leaves. She really enjoyed gluing little leaves onto a “tree” during an activity to welcome the fall season.
Keylee loves coming to the ESI space, where she enjoys playing and singing. She used to be a very shy and reserved girl, but she has become much more outgoing and comfortable socializing with other children and her teachers.
Christopher, 14 months
New York, USA
Christopher, 14 months, used his little fingers to paint the leaves falling from the trees in autumn.
His parents look at him and smile. “We feel very happy and grateful for the ESI space,” they say. “It has given our son the opportunity to socialize with other children and learn through the activities organized by the teachers. It has been a very rewarding experience.” When the wind blows, we all need protection, a coat or a scarf, and children like Christopher need it both physically and emotionally.
Valeria, 21 months
New York, USA
Valeria, 21 months, drew a landscape. She has shown significant progress in her learning skills, has developed self-confidence, and has become a beacon of light in the ESI space.
Through practicing everyday activities, Valeria has made huge progress. She has learned to identify colors and letters, and developed social skills that allow her to interact and share with other children. These skills have helped her build meaningful relationships and become an important part of the group.
Denyerlys, 10
New York, USA
Denyerlys, 10, made a drawing called “The House by the Sea”. The house is surrounded by water and covered with big blue drops, like tears.
When asked what he had drawn, Denyerlys replied: “I enjoy observing the ocean and its marine life, such as fish and other animals. Drawing and using colors help me concentrate, and when I look at the result, it makes me happy.” His parents, who have two children in the ESI program, said that the greatest gift they received there was kindness and love, materials that support a child while he expresses his emotions.
Ariel, 3
Southern Israel
Ariel, 3, has recently learned to match shapes and colors, thread beads and create three-dimensional pictures of things he loves. Ariel especially loves rainbows, so when his mother suggested an activity with shapes and beads, he chose to make one right away.
“A rainbow makes me smile,” he said, as he joined the rainbow’s colors with a pink pipe cleaner to hold them together. His mother, who works with Ariel on fine motor skills in the ESI Safe Space, looked at what they had made together and her heart overflowed.
Avinoam, 1
Netivot, Israel
Avinoam, 1, lives in Netivot, a city close to the border and the front line. Recently, in the ESI Safe Space, he picked up wax crayons for the first time and discovered that moving them across the page leaves surprising lines and shapes.
Each new discovery invites Avinoam to explore the world from another angle and to feel successful. When the colors he scribbles leave marks of different thickness on the page, his sense of capability soars, and with it his confidence and his sense of security. From a safe place like this, he can grow, keep trying and flourish.
Shira, 4
Southern Israel
Shira, 4, is growing up in Israel in the shadow of war. Like many children her age, she has grown used to sirens, to anxiety at home, to a broken routine and to the feeling that anything could go wrong at any moment.
In one of the activities in the ESI Safe Space, Shira was asked to draw something that makes her happy. She chose two things she loves equally: nature and her family. Since Shira cannot draw people yet, she drew each family member as a heart in a different color. Together the hearts float in nature, watching over one another and giving Shira a sense of belonging and security.
Miri, 6.5
Tiberias, Israel
Miri, 6.5, comes to the Safe Space in Tiberias, a city on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, with her parents. She drew a boat sailing across the water, a sight she knows well, under a big sun and a colorful sky.
Miri’s drawing invites us to sail with her on an imaginary journey that reflects what ESI builds in every space: feeling secure, Miri set out on her own, chose the colors and the view of the landscape herself, sailed her boat across the water with optimism and was very happy with the result. She sailed off on her drawing and came back to a safe harbor.
Miri, 6
Tiberias, Israel
Miri, 6, used pencil to draw the generosity she found in the ESI Safe Space in Tiberias. The figure at the center of her drawing is full of love and sweetness, with a bag hanging from her hand, probably filled with more of the same.
Miri did so much in the space over the two years she came. As she moves on, we thank her for her own generosity: the joy she brought, how beautifully she grew, how she dared to try new things, the experiences she shared with her mother and how she learned to believe in herself. After two years of such growth, Miri will reach her next stop with full hands and a full heart, optimistic, open to new discoveries and ready to color the lives of those around her.
Nel, 5
Tiberias, Israel
Nel, 5, drew a girl with a huge face, earrings and a pink balloon in her hand. The curious look and the enormous smile invite us into Nel’s rich world, full of joy and creativity.
Only a few months ago, Tiberias was within range of rocket fire, and Nel’s safe life changed beyond recognition. Today, in the Safe Space, she draws a figure surrounded by flowers and bright, gentle colors. The drawing tells of Nel’s choice of optimism and offers a glimpse into her inner world, strengthened by a renewed sense of security and belonging.