The article reports that Chechnya “has been brought to heel by Mr. Kadyrov’s strongman rule but its peaceful streets thrum with suppressed violence”. The article goes on to quote Taisa Isayeva, 40, a former journalist who now reports on human rights abuses: “No matter how much the city is remodeled, however, the trauma of the war continues to torment its residents. You are judging by all this beautiful architecture but not by the psychology of the people”.

Little Star’s psychologists are witnessing increased fear and anxiety in the republic as the government introduces and enforces ever more conservative and restrictive rules for the population. People feel defenceless in the face of impunity enjoyed by the government and security services. The mental health of Chechnya’s population continues to suffer, particularly as many people are already in a state of stress following 17 years of wars and instability. The children and young people who Little Star psychologists work with are also affected by these negative trends and their effects on their parents, teachers and relatives.

Little Star psychologists formed 22 groups of children and young people at the beginning of September at the eleven Little Star centres. They conducted psychosocial assistance workshops with these children until the end of October when new groups were formed. Any child needing to attend for more than the normal 6-8 week cycle is invited back into the next group. Around 400 children are assisted during each cycle, repeated six times during the year.

Since September the Little Star centres in Grozny have worked closely with social welfare officers working at each of the eleven schools to ensure that the most socially deprived children were given the opportunity to attend Little Star workshops. School directors and teachers maintain that these children have the most difficulties with their school work and are the most disruptive in lessons.

The lists of children attending Little Star points were largely made up of such socially deprived children during the September and October intakes at Little Star, as well as children with physical disabilities. The director of school No. 106 in Grozny was particularly happy about this, stating that “there is very little attention given to such children by any of the official state structures in Chechnya. I am very happy to see your care and attention to these children”.

In October Little Star psychologists Birlant Mudaeva and Rashan Shamkhalova conducted a one-day seminar with students of the Grozny Oil Institute. 32 students attended, from the faculty of Architecture. The themes of the seminar were “Increasing self-awareness, group cohesion and the development of imagination”.

Aishat Zubairaeva reports on her work with a boy at her centre in Michurina village: Sail-Selim is the only healthy child of physically handicapped parents. He is 13 years old, after school he works on a building site to help his parents financially. After work he does everything he can around the house (carries the water in, washes the floors, dishes, tidies the house etc.).

He is now in his third cycle at Little Star. When he first attended my Little Star point he was very shy about his domestic life. Now he is attending my Little Star group for the third time and is able to talk freely about how he helps his parents. All the other children listen to him respectfully. I have tried to develop his pride about working hard for the love of his parents and sisters, without thinking of himself.

Previously his class-mates went to play football without him but these days when he’s not working on the building site his friends help him with his house work. Together they finish it more quickly so they have time to go and play. I conducted sessions with Sail-Selim’s group on reducing aggression and stress. We worked with the book “Power of Goodness”, with the story “Christmas Morning” and others.

Aslan Alihajiev, Little Star psychologist working at School No.106 in Grozny, stated end of October “the children in the new groups are now attending the workshops joyfully and openly. It is still too early to talk about therapeutic achievements at this early stage in the cycle, but the children are enjoying themselves and all is going to plan – this means that something good will inevitably come out of it”.

Aslan has already encountered issues in his current groups such as nightmares, sleep walking and fear of doctors, which can hinder and sometimes prevent the children from receiving the necessary medical assistance. Aslan plans to work with the current group for at least one cycle and will soon begin a programme of individual counselling sessions.

Medina Khasanova works at School No. 54 in Grozny and has been using play- and art-therapy to assist the children in her two new groups to get to know each other and build trust and openness. In her groups there are children with low self esteem, hyper-activeness and children who are under-achievers at school. She has started addressing these issues both through the group sessions and individual counselling sessions.

The professional ethical code for psychologists and the basic ethical principles of a psychologists’ work, the Convention of the Rights of the Child, What rights do children in our Republic have? relaxation exercises, the themes of ‘trust’ and ‘emotions’, activation games, psychological testing, story therapy and working with stories from the book Power of Goodness: Stories of Nonviolence and Reconciliation.

Lecturers and the Chair of the ‘Pedagogy and Psychology’ faculty at the university attended some of the sessions and expressed great thanks to Little Star and its supporters for continuing to provide this training for students to develop their knowledge of the more practical aspects of psychology. The students have been spending time working alongside the Little Star staff at the Little Star points in Grozny and the villages to gain practical experience since the beginning of the new school in early September.

“When there’s no LS seminar I feel sad. This is the place where we play, paint, put pictures on the wall and laugh,” Markha, 10, from the school in the Michurina region.

Magomed, 12, has been going to the LS point at School Number 106, for two months:  “You’re not allowed to fight here. You have to find other ways to talk to each other. I think now, before I fight with someone.”

The Little Star “points” are classrooms in schools specifically allocated for LS to carry out their sessions. They vary hugely from each other and are all given a distinctive feel by the particular psychologist who is based there. For example, in School Number 18, the LS psychologist, Rashan, has a small room which can hold about nine children. It’s cramped, but cosy and warm. A candle burns in the corner and there’s relaxing music in the background. The children sit in a circle, as they do in all the points. Alie, 14, has just started here, “ I wanted to find out something new about myself. I like the idea of a circle, it’s not like being in a classroom; it helps me to feel different.”

Also in Rashan’s group is Hutmat, 13, “I like what we discuss in the group. I like saying positive things to each other. It’s different from the rest of school.” Marta, 13, came to LS because friends told her about it, “it’s different from the other parts of my life. I feel safer here than at home or anywhere else.”

In addition to the groups, the psychologists hold events which children/young people can attend. They also run intensive ‘closed’ groups, as well as more ‘open’ drop-in groups depending on the needs of their particular school. Raising awareness of substance/alcohol abuse isn’t the main focus of their work but it’s often a theme they incorporate and the group are planning a lecture/event about it to target young people in Grozny.

Psychology students from the university attend the LS points in the summer. They take part in the training and offer their own schedules which they’ve designed for children. At other times of the year, they meet children at the LS points and work with them for a week or a month. “We’re doing the work of employment agencies,” says Aslan. “Many people are trained by LS then work around the country in the same field.”

The LS point in School Number 9 is much larger and more like a traditional classroom. The LS psychologist, Rustam, used to carry out his LS work in a disused building nearby, but the director of the school has now given him one of their new classrooms due to the demand for LS’s services.

Maga, 11, has been attending for two months, his friends told him about LS: “This is quite different from what I’ve been doing in school. Here, I relax and have fun.”

In Rustam’s group, where the children have been attending for two months, they’re acknowledging their fears and doing an exercise in “throwing them away”.

School Number 106 is in one of the poorest areas of Grozny which suffered heavy bombardment. It’s also close to the River Sunzha, which often floods the area. Here, destroyed houses haven’t been rebuilt. LS psychologist, Aslan, has been given a classroom and an office – a reward from the director of the school for his work with Little Star.

In School No 16, Madina works with 1^st- 6^th years in a smallish but cosy room. Her group of 6 year olds have an animated discussion about trust. Meanwhile, next to Grozny Zoo, in School Number 54, another LS psychologist, Medina discusses happiness as the day’s topic. The children discuss what happiness is, then draw their own idea of it. The LS point is detached from the main school so “we can make a noise!” says Marta, aged 10.  Medina has filled the room with pot plants and pictures. Teacher, Maret, is impressed: “look at these kids. They’ve had four lessons this morning, but as soon as they come in here, they’re energised.”Other recent topics Medina has explored, include: “my mood today” “who I am” what I am” “tolerance” “emotions” and “fears”.

The LS team believe that if the teachers can see the positive results of the process they’re more likely to make time to work alongside the psychologists, reciprocally. Russian language teacher, Zina, from School Number 106, says, “after attending LS, the children study better, they become more interested in the learning process, they’re more polite, and friendly to each other.”

Taharik, a teacher in School Number 16, says “I knew children who’d stopped smiling, but after LS sessions they’d become more open to living again. When Madina isn’t there, they go looking for her.” She agrees that children are more engaged with the learning process after being at LS. “Sometimes a child won’t obey the rest of the class, you can see there’s something going on; they won’t get involved, but it takes a LS psychologist to identify the problem.”

Petimat, another teacher in School Number 16, says, “the children have many problems – we have a huge number of orphans and those from broken families. I’ve had children who just cower in the corridor when they arrive. In the first year, aged 6 and a half, there are 150 children, but LS can’t cover them all and even if they could, we’d have to find a way of fitting it round the curriculum. We can take the children out of music class, for example, but nothing else. We end up referring the most problematic ones – the ones who’re crying in class all the time.”

The psychologists say, it’s simpler to liaise with the teachers because you’re in school and you’re both working with the children, but it’s harder to contact the parents; they only tend to come if there’s a serious issue.

Here in Michurina, LS psychologist, Aishat, works with every class in the school and the director also gets involved because the school is so small: “LS helps to discover creative talents in an informal environment. I don’t have much space available here, but I want to give it to LS,” he says.

The psychologists always try to attend parent’s meetings at the school as this is the only way to really get to see them. Aslan explains, “Often, the parents don’t care enough to get information from their child and it’s obvious they’re neglecting them. We have to make up for that. I always attend parent’s meetings. This job is about building relationships with directors, teachers, children, and of course parents.”

At the beginning of the project in Chechnya many potential cases for the European Court were related to criminal cases against alleged combatants in the context of the conflict between Russia and Chechnya. Nowadays, most potential cases are related to abductions, general fair trial issues and housing. Legal counselling offered by project lawyers is crucial, since it helps to manage clients’ expectations and avoid mistakes in the exhaustion of domestic remedies for further potential applications to the European Court.

Iqra TV are helping us and Dobrota to raise money to rebuild schools in Chechnya, provide psychological support to children and teenagers traumatised by war, assist poverty-stricken families to start their own small businesses, sponsor orphans and distribute food to the hungry.

£25 can provide for an orphan’s needs for one month, £20 buys food for a family for one month and £100 can help make a life-saving operation happen. Please head to our donations page to find out how to donate.

So that no-one feels left out, here is a video of their performance of the ‘Dagestan Dance’ from last year’s UK Tour.  I confess that it is my favourite dance – when the group come to the UK I get to spend a lot of time with the girls.  I love their contagious giggling, their constant running around, their ability to get everything organised, their sheer hard work.  But, they’re also no different to any other young women.  This dance, I think, really allows them to let rip, to whoop and holler and show off what energetic and talented dancers they are.  Enjoy.

Dagestan Dance from Peacebuilding UK on Vimeo.

Members of PBUK have sent video messages, which will be played on a large screen at the event, together with a message from our Honorary President and messages from other supporters in Europe.  Chris has written a message for the programme at this prestigious event. We have also learnt that a UK Parliamentary delegation plan to be there this evening.

I think that Chris’ words probably sum up just how far Daimohk have come in the past ten years, so I won’t say anymore…

Dear friends,

It gives me great pleasure to write these words of congratulation to Daimohk on your 10^th anniversary. This event not only marks an important milestone in Daimohk’s history, but also represents the huge success that the ensemble has achieved and the enormous interest and support that there is in your progress.

I first met Daimohk’s director Ramzan Akhmadov in July 1999 by a lake in Nazran, Ingushetia, together with my colleague Adlan Adaev and a few of the young dancers dressed in full national costume. War had recently broken out in Chechnya, and most of the ensemble were refugees. Against this background of misery it was clear that Ramzan possessed the energy, the vision and the talent to make these young dancers into something exceptional, and Peacebuilding UK has been proud to partner Daimohk on this journey to becoming a professional-standard dance ensemble with an international reputation.

The journey has not been without its difficulties. In the earlier years of Daimohk’s history, the desperate security situation in Grozny made dangerous even so simple a thing as a teenager’s journey from home to school, or to dance practice. This was one of the things that impressed me so much about Ramzan and his team – they saw the horror of the situation around them, but they focused on the positive and uplifting effect of their dance and culture, and used this to give the children and young people hope in the future and to build their self esteem and identity. This transformed the lives of everyone involved. Ramzan saw dance as a way to give a generation of children surrounded by violence and aggression a positive creative focus and emotional self-expression. Only six months later, Daimohk’s breathtaking and varied programme – from energising acrobatics and sword-throwing, to graceful formations and mesmerizing instrumental numbers – won the Chechen Republic’s Competition for Artistic Excellence.

This transformation was like a ripple that spread from Ramzan’s team and the young dancers all over Chechnya. But this creative ripple has reached far beyond the borders of Chechnya. The positive effects have been felt around Russia and Europe too. Despite the obstacles in Daimohk’s early years, the ensemble developed an excellent repertoire and reputation, which enabled the young people of Daimohk to become cultural ambassadors of Chechnya, travelling to many different countries, impressing and inspiring audiences. Tens of thousands of people have watched Daimohk’s concerts in over a dozen countries throughout Europe. The children of Daimohk have portrayed the strong spirit, grace and determination of the Chechen people to millions more people who watched their performances on European television.

The ensemble’s notable successes have included winning first prizes at the prestigious Llangollen International Eisteddfod in 2004, the Grand Prix at the equally prestigious Crystal Magnolia Festival in Sochi in 2005 and first prize again at the all-Russia talent competition ‘Delfiskie Igri’ in the city of Novosibirsk, Siberia in May 2008. In 2009, Daimohk was invited back to the Llangollen International Eisteddfod as star guests to perform on the festival’s final evening in the big hall to over 3000 people; this was shown live on Welsh television.

I have had the honour of helping to organise seven European tours for Daimohk over the last ten years. Today Daimohk has dedicated and committed followers all over Europe, who are always keen to know when the ensemble will return to perform again. Ramzan, Aiza and the young dancers have also taught their dances to school children in Britain and other countries, who have experienced the concentration and hard work required even to copy some of the simplest of these dance moves! This cultural exchange went further when dancers from the Chicken Shed Theatre Company in London taught the Daimohk dancers some of their own contemporary dance moves.

When Ramzan asked me and Peacebuilding UK to arrange for some of the older Daimohk dancers to study in Britain, we were able to secure places for them at a school in Devon where they completed their exams and have now gone on to study at British universities.

Throughout the ten years that Daimohk has existed, the situation in Chechnya has changed significantly, and the children who attend dance lessons today no longer face the obstacles that the original group faced in the late nineties due to the security situation. Daimohk’s role however remains as important as ever in providing hope, enjoyment, creativity and inspiration to generations of people in Chechnya, Russia and around the world. This year, we facilitated contact between Daimohk and a prestigious US international children’s festival, which has invited the ensemble to their annual event in the US this September. I very much hope that Daimohk will find the possibility to travel there, to share Chechnya’s rich culture and talented dance on another continent with American audiences.

I wish you Ramzan and your team and all the young dancers every success in continuing this vital work. All of your friends here in Europe very much look forward seeing you here again in the future. Congratulations and “Маршалла ду шуьга! МОГУШАЛЛА А, ИРС А, АЬТТО А ХУЬЛДА ШУН!”

Christopher Hunter, Programmes Coordinator, Peacebuilding UK

The Little Star team of psychologists and support staff gathered in the Turkish Mediterranean town of Kiris, near Antalya from 14^th to 22^nd October together with Louis Greig (Honorary President) and Chris Hunter (Programmes Coordinator) from Peacebuilding UK, Janet Riley from Friends’ International Library, and interpreters Ismayil Khayredinov and John Coutts.

The main task of the meeting was to create a first draft of a teacher’s training manual to assist teachers in Chechnya in using the book Power of Goodness: Stories of Nonviolence and Reconciliation in schools. Janet Riley created this book project and has worked on it with many other people from around the world for over 15 years. The stories that will form the second edition of the book can be seen on the website www.fil.quaker.org.
Peacebuilding UK has applied for funding for the printing of the second edition and the teacer’s manual. Janet was moved and delighted to see how the Little Star team have taken the project to heart and found good use for it in their work with children in Chechnya, and to see them developing it further and creating the manual for use in Chechen schools.

Having created an outline structure for the manual, the group proceeded to work on individual lesson plans for each of the 25 stories. These and other sections of the book will be finished in Chechnya by mid-November, and then edited by an educator with experience of creating curricula in the US. Little Star will review the edited version before sending the manual to print.

John Coutts has translated many of the stories in Power of Goodness, and Ismayil Khayredinov not only interpreted tirelessly throughout the meeting but made many excellent suggestions for the teacher’s manual. Louis Greig was able to hear detailed reports and stories on the present situation in Chechnya and the work of Little Star, and the psychologists very much enjoyed renewing their connection with him. We were all impressed to hear from Little Star how their training work with teachers and school psychologists in trauma counselling and psychosocial assistance workshops is developing. The Ministry of Education is increasingly making requests to Little Star to conduct such seminars to help staff to better understand and deal with psychological trauma in schools throughout Chechnya. Little Star is preparing a mobile training unit to visit all of Chechnya’s 15 regions next year, to provide three-day training seminars in each regional centre.

Everyone greatly appreciated and enjoyed the banquet that Louis arranged in a nearby restaurant on his final evening, presided over by the newly appointed Countess of Kabardino-Balkaria, Janet Riley, and of course the evening’s hostess and Little Star accountant Zargan Isaeva. Staying in a resort near the Mediterranean meant that there were excellent opportunities for well deserved relaxation. Long lunch breaks and later afternoon/ evening sessions provided several hours for swimming in the sea and sunbathing in the middle of the day. The hotel’s evening entertainment had an extra attraction for the week we were there – Chechen dancing! This complemented the Turkish dancing well and was enjoyed by our group, our Turkish hosts and Russian holidaymakers alike. The group left for home in good spirits, happy to have spent the time together and to have made so much progress in creating the teacher’s manual. The completed version will be ready for printing in early 2010.

Of course we welcome donations the whole year round to support Daimohk, so please consider either a one-off donation or setting up a regular standing order.  More details on how on our Donations Page.

“Dans Grozny Dans” or “The Damned and the Sacred” DVD – £12+P&P

This is a documentary film about Daimohk by Dutch film-maker Jos de Putter in 2004. Jos and his team followed Daimohk, comprised  of children between the ages of 6 and 16, on their tour through Europe, filming them in Amsterdam, London, Krakow and Warsaw, and during their journey by bus through Europe and Russia. The film also shows the children practicing in the rubble of Grozny and performing in Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and London’s Lyric Theatre.

“Chechen Tunes” – £5+P&P

Ten Chechen folk melodies by the musicians of Daimohk, recorded during a visit of the group to London.

2009 Tour poster – £1+P&P

This large tour poster features one of the Daimohk dancers who performed in the UK this year.  A great memento from the tour!

How to purchase

If you would like to buy either of these or multiple copies then please post a cheque payable to ‘Peacebuilding UK’ with your order, name and address to:

‘Peacebuilding UK’
Unit 7
Thorne Farm
Bude
Cornwall
EX23 0LU
England

or alternatively please e-mail info@peacebuildinguk.org with the above details and either forward us a cheque or pay through My Charity Page with ‘Daimohk Merchandise’ marked clearly in the message section.