It is over three years since Russia invaded Ukraine. Fastiv, southwest of the capital Kyiv, is one of all the places that have been exposed to attacks and this week 24 children from the city have been allowed to come to Sweden for summer camp.
The idea was that they would get to leave the war's everyday life for a moment.
We are not afraid to be outdoors here, because there are no air raid warnings or drones. You can just go out to the lake and chill, says 14-year-old Ivan Bondartjuk at the breakfast table in Gräsviken outside Trollhättan.
Become calmer
Opposite sits Yurij Kosovytj. The children have had activities every day and Yurijs favorite was when they went to the sea for seal safari.
We cannot go and visit the sea in Ukraine, because there may be mines in the water, says Yurij, who loves to be in nature.
Some start taking their breakfast bowls, but 15-year-old Marija Podgornova sits still. She notices that they have become calmer by avoiding hearing air raid warnings two or three times a day.
When we are in school and there is an alarm, we go down to a shelter. It is tough, but it has become normal, she says.
It is Trollhättan city that has arranged for the children to come to Sweden and development leader Birgitta Berntsson Ärje is one of those who made it possible.
The municipality has financed the camp and said how many places will be available, but the selection of participants has been made in Fastiv, she says.
Start crying
Suddenly Yurij Kosovytj comes into the breakfast room.
Come Birgitta, we have something for you, he says.
She follows after and in the basement, all the children have gathered in a circle. Herman Tjernikov, 16 years old, takes up a Ukrainian flag with the children's names on. Several of the participants wipe their eyes and even Berntsson Ärje starts crying when she receives the flag.
At the same time as the participants describe the week as unforgettable, there is no doubt that they want to return.
It is our home. We have Ukraine in our hearts, says 15-year-old Anastasija Sjolpan.
Afterwards, the children quickly change into swimwear. When Herman Tjernikov takes a short break from bathing, he answers what he can do in Sweden that is not possible in today's Ukraine.
Fly. I had forgotten what it looks like when a regular plane flies over the sky, says Herman and looks up at the blue.
During just over a week, 24 children and young people from the Ukrainian city of Fastiv have been able to attend a summer camp in Gräsviken outside Trollhättan.
The participants sent in videos, where they had to motivate why they should go. The selection process took place from Ukraine and it was Trollhättan city that financed the camp.
Through ICLD, International Center for Local Democracy, Trollhättan has an official cooperation agreement with Fastiv.
The camp is a side project to the official cooperation.
The cooperation is part of ICLD's partnership network for democratic resilience, which includes 26 Swedish and Ukrainian municipalities/regions at the moment.
Source: ICLD, Trollhättan city.
