Italia-Croatia

Workshop objective
Educating participants about the causes and consequences of floods (in the Neretva area), with particular emphasis on solidarity and togetherness in crisis situations. The objectives and outcomes of workshops such as this one are aimed at turning difficult topics into opportunities for learning and strengthening the community.
•    Understanding local risks: The main objective is to explain to children why floods occur specifically in their area. This includes learning about the particular characteristics of the Neretva, the influence of sea tides, and technical changes such as the deepening of channels.
•    Raising health awareness: An important objective is to make children aware of the “invisible” hazards that remain after the water recedes. Sources point out that damp and mould cause respiratory and allergic problems, while floods generally increase the risk of respiratory illnesses.
•    Strengthening mental resilience: Since research shows that mental stress caused by floods is particularly pronounced among younger people, the objective is to reduce fear and feelings of helplessness through play and discussion.

Promoting solidarity
Through real-life examples, such as neighbours and firefighters from Ploče working together to pump out water, children learn the importance of helping one another.

Workshop process and activities
•    Listening to a story about a flood:
The workshop began with a story based on real events in the nearby places of Rogotin, Šarić Struga and Ploče. The children listened to accounts of “flood dramas” in which residents woke up in the middle of the night in flooded rooms. The story helped the children understand how water enters through channels because of high tide and the influence of the port, destroying furniture, memories and toys…
•    Solidarity game “Grandfather and the Turnip”:
To encourage a sense of togetherness, the children took part in an interpretation of the folk tale “Grandfather and the Turnip”. The aim was to show that, just as in the story, the fight against floods can succeed only through joint efforts. It was emphasised that, in real life, neighbours, families and firefighters from Ploče worked together, using pumps to save homes from the rising water.

•    Shadow theatre on the theme of floods:
In the creative part of the workshop, participants used shadow theatre to depict the journey of water from the sea to their doorsteps. They staged the key concepts they had learned:
o    Causes: How heavy rainfall, deepened channels and tides bring water into settlements.
o    Health consequences: They portrayed feelings of fear, created the sounds of rising water, and also showed solidarity in action—a chain of assistance during floods.
o    Solutions: Through shadows, the children depicted situations from life by the river, flooding, and rescue methods using boats and assistance from firefighters.
o    Each child made a statement about how floods affect them and what can be done.

Workshop outcomes
•    Connecting theory and reality: Children stop seeing a flood simply as “a lot of rain” and begin to understand complex processes such as the influence of air pollution on storm formation or the role of sluice gates as protective barriers.
•    Developing empathy: Through stories about flooded homes in their local area and cherished belongings that were destroyed, children develop compassion for members of their community who have suffered damage.
•    Creative problem-solving: Activities such as shadow theatre allow children to visualise problems and solutions.
•    Empowering young people: A major achievement is the transformation of fear into knowledge. A child who understands how a flood occurs and how the community fights it—just as in the game “Grandfather and the Turnip”—becomes a more aware and resilient member of society.

Conclusion
The workshop successfully combined education about serious environmental and health risks with play and creative expression. The children showed great interest in protecting their local area and understood the importance of solidarity when facing the challenges brought by floods.

•    Note: After the workshop, one participant began researching floods online in the area where she lives in order to learn more about the workshop topic.