Our students met a schoolboy from the UK who raised more than UAH 9 million to help Ukrainian children through his woodworking.
Gabriel Clarke became an influencer last year. In 24 hours, more than 200 thousand people followed his Instagram. people, after his father, Richard Clarke, a British director (Doctor Who, Versailles, Alien), tweeted for support. The fact is that Gabriel was fascinated by wood carving and spent several hours a day in the workshop. Unfriendly “friends” told him that “it’s not cool.”
Richard Clarke asked friends to support their upset 12-year-old son. He was encouraged by J.K. Rowling, Stephen Fry, Cher, and other celebrities. Having received tremendous support, the boy decided to take advantage of his popularity and turn it to good. Launched the #BowlForUkraine fundraising campaign and became an ambassador for Save the Children. In 2 weeks, Gabriel managed to raise more than 250 thousand pounds! The entire amount was directed to our schools for Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
And so, on March 28, 2023, Gabrielle, her father and Save the Children humanitarian workers visited our school in Warsaw. We showed the boy how his contribution helps refugees to find support in education and their home environment.
“The kids at school were very happy and friendly to me! I don’t know why I was worried. We played games! It was a lot of fun. I wish my school was like this one! Meeting the children was incredible, but at the same time very difficult.
В interview with the BBC Gabriel shared that the biggest discovery for him was “how much the children looked like me and my friends.” It was hard to believe that children like Gabriel himself had experienced the horrors of war. That now they are playing ping-pong and board games with him, comparing lesson schedules, and they could have died… as part of their classmates.
The meeting inspired Gabriel to make a special plate made of wood called “Hope”, which he also raffled off to raise funds and has already raised 24 thousand hryvnias. pounds of donations.
See photos and videos of the meeting, and read about the event in our materials:
