Supporting Ukrainian children during their first weeks in Polish schools
Ola and her brother, Boris, the main characters of the therapeutic tale written by SWPS University students, fled the war in Ukraine and found shelter in Poland. The first part of the story, Ola, Boris and Their New Friends, depicts their efforts to adapt to their new reality. The second part, Ola and Boris Go to School, delves into their school experiences.
The project's guiding principle is “see the world through the eyes of another.” Through the book, children learn empathy and develop a keen interest in others. Ola and Boris help them understand the feelings that various pupils may experience – young Poles may grapple with jealousy and anger, while young Ukrainians may wrestle with anxiety or loneliness. Recognizing that children might find it challenging to manage these emotions on their own, the story highlights the significance of support and friendship. Moreover, by following Ola and Boris, Ukrainian readers may change their perception of their language skills. They can also discover various strategies for handling difficult situations.
We aimed to address the potential issues that might occur following the admission of Ukrainian children to Polish schools and kindergartens, including communication difficulties, mutual envy, feelings of injustice, and loneliness. The book portrays these challenges from the perspectives of both Polish and Ukrainian children.
Justyna Ziółkowska, Ph.D. / Associate Professor
team leader
Lesson plans for teachers
The book, Ola and Boris Go to School, is complemented by four lesson plans (in Polish) developed by Sławomir Prusakowski, a psychologist from SWPS University's Faculty of Psychology in Wroclaw, and Julia Odelga, a third-year psychology student. These lesson plans are tailored for elementary schools, both for Polish-speaking classes and the so-called “preparatory classes,” separate groups established to aid foreign children in their transition into Polish public schools.
The lesson plans aim to enhance students' emotional intelligence and foster acceptance of diversity within school environments.
Remarkable collaborative effort
The driving forces behind this idea include Professor Justyna Ziółkowska from SWPS University’s Faculty of Psychology in Wrocław, Professor Tomasz Grzyb, Dean of SWPS University's Faculty of Psychology in Wrocław, and Professor Dariusz Galasiński from the University of Wrocław.
“The idea sprang from many conversations we had with teachers, psychologists, and parents who observe daily life in Polish schools. Through the pages of this book, we accompany Ola and Boris during classes and playtime. Yet, not all their experiences are positive. We aim to help the children understand that unpleasant situations are a part of life. However, this does not imply that we should remain indifferent to such events – as adults, it is our responsibility to guide children through them. We hope this book will help Ukrainian and Polish students in tackling school-related challenges. Above all, we want it to help us all believe that with a little goodwill, we can solve them,” explain the initiators of the book.
The book, Ola and Boris Go to School, was co-authored by psychology students and members of our Clinical Psychology Research Club: Aleksandra Cieloch, Marta Emirsajłow, Oliwia Malińska, Michalina Mazurek, Jakub Michalik, Julia Odelga, Małgorzata Skrońska, Gabriela Sorsa, Anna Stachowiak, Anna Szołomycka and Paulina Woźny. Karolina Matczak, a child and adolescent psychotherapist, provided clinical supervision.
Elizabeth Bristow illustrated the story, and Rebecca Scambler handled the book’s design. Olga Makarova translated it into Ukrainian and Anna Galasińska tackled the English translation.
Illustration by Elizabeth Bristow
The tale was published by Instytut Heweliusza. The company raised funds for printing and managed distribution and publicity.
This book is the result of voluntary work by an international team that wrote, edited, illustrated, and translated the story into Ukrainian and English, and also raised funds for its publication and printing. It is the second book for Ukrainian children that we have helped publish, and we have no doubt that it was a worthwhile endeavor. This project proves that in real life, just as in fairy tales, there are more good-hearted people than otherwise.
Ilona Byra
founder and CEO of Instytut Heweliusza
22,000 free copies of Ola and Boris Go to School
With the support of the international Rotary organization, particularly Rotary District 6250, Rotary Club of Fort Atkinson, and Rotary Club of La Crosse, a remarkable 22,000 copies of the book have been printed. They are available free of charge in schools, counseling centers, district offices, and other institutions. If you're interested in obtaining a copy, please reach out to Patrycja Sobczak via email.
We have been honored to collaborate on this exciting and valuable children’s book. Rotarians around the world immediately recognized the gravity of the Ukrainian refugee situation and raised millions of dollars in aid. Here in Wisconsin, our Rotary District had raised funds for refugee projects in Poland, in particular in Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, and Olsztyn. Then we read Ola and Boris go to School and our hearts melted. We had to do more. Rotarians consider themselves People of Action. We share a unique passion for taking action to improve our communities and the world. With Ola and Boris, it is clear that everyone involved in the conceptualization, writing, illustrating, publishing, and printing of these books are People of Action too! Congratulations!
Edwin Bos
Rotary District 6250 (Wisconsin, USA)
Unika, a company affiliated with Instytut Heweliusza, was one of the organizations involved in fundraising for the book's publication. The Municipality of Wrocław also supported the project, as Wrocław became the second biggest home for Ukrainian refugees seeking shelter in Poland.
While working on this project, I did what I do best in my own business – I fundraised. The concept of a therapeutic tale caught the attention of Americans. In less than a month, the Rotarians raised funds and, with support from Rotary Club Wrocław, brought this project to fruition. As you can see, tasks like these bring people together across borders. I am glad I could help.
Anna Jasinowska-Czarny
Unika Doradztwo Unijne i Public Relations
I am pleased that the city of Wrocław participated in this invaluable project. I extend my gratitude to the authors and the individuals behind this initiative. As city officials, we have always been particularly concerned about children. That is why we are committed to caring for our youngest Ukrainian friends. We want them to find solace here, to leave behind the trauma of war, flight, and separation from loved ones. We are eager to share the books with interested institutions and local governments.
Jacek Sutryk
Mayor of Wrocław
First part of the story was an immediate success
First book about young Ukrainian refugees, Ola, Boris and Their New Friends, garnered significant attention from various institutions and individual readers alike. Thanks to various benefactors, it was possible to print and distribute free copies of the book, primarily to refugee families from Ukraine.
One of the institutions that joined the project was the Zaczytani Foundation, which reached out to its long-standing partner, Amazon, to print a limited number of books free of charge. Amazon's commitment exceeded expectations: the company printed 32,000 copies of the book and donated them on behalf of the foundation to organizations such as the PTAK Humanitarian Aid Center in Nadarzyn, the Warsaw Multicultural Center, the Polish Center for International Aid, and the Ukrainian House in Warsaw.
The Zaczytani Foundation aims to promote readership and social education. Therefore, we did not hesitate to support SWPS University’s project. Ola, Boris and Their New Friends aids in building genuine intercultural connections through the medium of a fairy tale. The story fosters empathy and active listening. These are qualities that both Poles and our Ukrainian friends truly need.
Michał Jakub Stępień
Managing Director of Zaczytani Foundation
Amazon consistently promotes community integration and supports educational initiatives for children and adolescents. Our donation of books and educational materials is part of a larger, long-term project aimed at children from Poland and Ukraine, which we have been coordinating across the region. We are incredibly pleased to have supported the SWPS University and Zaczytani Foundation initiative.
Barbara Krystosiak
Community Manager at Amazon
You can download Ola, Boris and Their New Friends free of charge in multiple languages:
You can download Ola and Boris Go to School free of charge in two language versions:
Contact
For all organizational inquiries, including book distribution, please contact Patrycja Sobczak.
- via phone: +48 664 030 410
- via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.