Maltese Foundation Launches Kung Fu Program To Help Children Emerge From Dark Times
The Karl Vella Foundation has launched a program that sees children undergoing difficult experiences, engage in Kung Fu lessons. The aim? To help empower each child and offer a means for them to channel their emotions safely.
Dour circumstances often have kids make a presence on-site, but the incentive serves as a neat way to help them learn new skills, be more confident, and make something positive out of time otherwise wasted.
Lovin Malta reached out to Mark Calleja, who spearheads the project.
“The program, ‘Little Dragons’, has children engage, and make use of ‘somatic practice’, a way to enhance each child’s inner resources and interpersonal skills such as resilience, motivation, assertiveness, and positivity,” he said.
“Together, they make use of meditation and mindfulness practice, such as breathing and relaxation techniques.”
“The key to total control lies within us. We need only find it.”
How does it work?
During practice, a student is allowed to immerse himself in the deep-rooted philosophies martial arts offer.
This, by way of a qualified instructor, who serves to teach each student how to be expressive with the body. Not only by way of punching and kicking, but by breathing, sensing, and active movement.
“The kids are allowed a chance to have an interoceptive experience, and it will help them unlock and enhance their potential.”
What happens during the session?
The session is kept fairly active from beginning to end. The kids get going after a brief warm-up, but the theme behind each session is always centred around reflective thinking and healthy interaction between themselves.
“The kids will learn how to kick, punch and block properly, and are allowed to practice these techniques on punching bags, and in controlled sparring sessions supervised by the instructor.”
“To finish off the session, we have meditation; a practice which teaches students how to remain in the present, anchoring themselves in the here and now.”
“It helps them scrutinize their emotions, and study each feeling closely.”
The Foundation was established to provide educational and psychological assistance to children in families disrupted by the serious illness of a family member.
All too often, in situations where one has been taken seriously ill, the focus in the family shifts completely to the invalid. And often a time, it sees other members of the family conform to the situation.
What often happens to children in these situations is that they are looked after by relatives, friends, and anyone else who comes to the assistance of these families. The result is that oftentimes, through absolutely no fault of the parents/guardians, these children end up feeling isolated, forgotten, and lonely, despite the best efforts made to ensure they have been looked after.
The Foundation addresses the issues experienced by children in these circumstances by creating a welcoming environment for them.
What do you think of the initiative?