Smile Initiative, an initiative of Bahrain Future Society for Youth, which provides psychosocial support to children with cancer and their parents in Bahrain, launched a remote summer camp directed at developing the skills and talents of sick children, entertaining them, and aiding them to improve their behavioral, social and psychological activities. Smile implemented this camp remotely within the initiative's keenness to continue presenting useful programs to its affiliates of sick children, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic (COVID-19). The initiative launched this summer camp through video communication app for an hour per day, weekly from Sunday to Thursday for a month and a half. The activities incorporate entertaining and educational meetings in addition to workshops on drawing, coloring and others. Many of Smile's volunteers managed these activities. Sick children attend the activities of this summer camp from their homes through video communication app. Smile Initiative was keen to guarantee that the child would acquire all the resources and materials needed for the program's success, with a permanent follow-up of what the children have learned to inspire them through continuous development. Smile initiative's organization for this summer camp reflects its eagerness to sustain its programs in various circumstances in a way that allows sick children to enjoy their time during the summer vacation. Moreover, due to their weak immunity, sick children are required to stay at home quarantine as COVID-19 pandemic poses a significant danger to their lives. Mohamed El Sokary, board member of Future Society for Youth and supervisor of the Smile summer training camp, stressed the importance of this program in developing the talents of sick children and inspiring them to innovate according to educational basics that help the child to practice his favorite hobbies and talents. "There is a remarkable and growing interaction by participants of this program, and the initiative is keen to develop its tools and methods continuously to adapt to remote education and training, and to capture children's attention," El Sokary added. "The psychological support is an essential criterion for the necessary care for children with cancer. We must apprehend that childhood cancer is not only a physical disease, but a psychological one as well. Therefore, helping children to strengthen their psychological aspect is necessary, as this reflects on their immunity and their ability to fight the disease and recover, God willing, and that's what Smile Initiative strives to do," El Sokary said. — SG
