Icelandic woman, age 57
“I feel the “Empowering Voices” workshop lives up to its name. It has helped me empower my voice and face my social anxiety. It has allowed me to express myself in a performative manner. The friendships created and nurtured through the group have greatly improved my mental health as well as giving me great exercises to help work through chronic pain and neuropathy. The Red Cross is very fortunate to have Vena and Hildur guiding us as we create art with different languages and abilities.”
Anastasia V, Ukraine, age 20
’ I remember the first class when I came to the theater group. I expected that we would learn something by heart and stage scenes. It turned out that it was much deeper than I expected. Something on a deep psychological level, about knowing yourself, your body, your inner world. For me, these classes are about leaving your comfort zone, about manifestation, about overcoming internal barriers, about physical and mental rest. That is why I am grateful to the organizers for their creativity and support. I look forward to each class!”
Antwone de Venezuela 30 Años,
“En particular para mí este trabajo me ha abierto la mente para apreciar desde otra perspectiva que puedo llamar multicultural, el sentimiento de situaciones diversas en diferentes países del mundo, expresadas de diferentes maneras. Como pueden ver muchas diferencias unidas con un único propósito, la presentación de nuestro tan apreciado trabajo.
En otro orden de ideas les puedo asegurar que lo más importante de todo este proceso no es la presentación en sí, sino el camino que recorrimos para llegar a lo realizado, a través de ese camino pude conocer más sobre mí, superar las expectativas y hacer cosas que en mi corta experiencia de vida nunca había logrado, siempre con la ayuda de las personas que me guiaron en la dirección de este camino”.
Translation:
Antwone from Venezuela, 30 years old:
” For me, this work has opened my mind to appreciate things from a new perspective, which I can call multicultural. It has allowed me to understand the feelings and situations in different countries around the world, expressed in various ways. As you can see, many differences come together with a single purpose: the presentation of our much-appreciated work.
On another note, I can assure you that the most important part of this entire process is not the presentation itself, but the journey we took to achieve what we accomplished. Through this journey, I was able to learn more about myself, exceed my own expectations, and do things that, in my short life experience, I had never achieved before—always with the help of the people who guided me along this path.
Swallow, Syria, age 48
لا اعرف كيف ابدأ او من اين ابدأ فالكلمات تعجز عن وصفك ،ساتحدث عن تجربتي الشخصية معك فينا لقد كانت تجربتي ومعرفتي قليلة ولكنها غنية ورائعة لقد كنت خير معين لي بورشتك المسرحية لقد كنت سعيدا كثير بجميع التمارين التي شاركت بها وكلامك وجلساتك الروحية التي كنا نفعلها قبل كل تمرين مسرحي لقد كانت بالنسبة لي كالدواء في وقت كنت أعاني فيها مرارةاللجوء ومرارة الانتظار .فقد كنت تزرعي بي الأمل وتشعريني بان غدا سيكون افضل واستطعتي بمهارتك واسلوبك المتميز ان تعيدي لي الامل لروح فقدت طعم للحياة واريد ان اشكرك لما قمت به من دور لوصول اوضح صورة عن معاناة اللاجئين من خلال مشروعك و ورشة عملك التي ابهرتني واسعدتني .لقد كنت مبدعة يا مدرستي الرائعة فينا واخيرا اتمنى لك التوفيق والنجاح بكل اعمالك
المستقبلية
Translation:
I don’t know how to begin or where to start, as words fail to describe. I will talk about my personal experience with you, Vena. Although my experience and knowledge were limited, they were rich and wonderful. You were a great support to me with your theatre workshop. I was very happy with all the exercises I participated in, your words, and the spiritual sessions we did before every theatre exercise. For me, they were like medicine during a time when I was suffering the bitterness of asylum and the bitterness of waiting. You planted hope in me and made me feel that tomorrow would be better. With your skill and unique approach, you were able to restore hope to a soul that had lost its taste for life. I want to thank you for the role you played in shedding light on the suffering of refugees through your project and your workshop, which amazed and delighted me. You were truly brilliant, my wonderful teacher Vena. Finally, I wish you success and prosperity in all your endeavors.
Sergei from Belarus, 40 y.o., asylum seeker in Iceland
Performance theatre led by Vena was my first-ever experience of this kind. I’ve always been interested in different forms of art, but I was almost never involved as a creator — mostly, I was on the other side. And yes, to say that I joined this project during a strange period of my life is an understatement…
Tired, exhausted, and almost completely drained, I was just a patient for a psychotherapist — a perfect character for a life-based drama movie script. And then, I began taking part in this Performance Theatre workshop…
Already during the first class, I realized that this was something very different — and very special. It was a magical mix of deep self-discovery, personal growth, and genuine care. For the first time in my life, I felt the true and profound power of art.
It wasn’t therapy in the usual sense. It was theatre — and not even just theatre, but a path of liberation: from pain and hopelessness, through self-expression, to LOVE and LIFE.
I had tried many professional therapies and medications before, but nothing had a lasting effect. But those six months spent with the theatre became a true healing journey for me — something nothing else had ever given. I felt alive again. I began to love and believe in the beauty of life. Oxygen filled my lungs again, and blood ran through my veins.
And this is not an exaggeration — this is the incredible transformation that really happened to me.
I’m overwhelmed with admiration for what Vena does and how she does it. This is far more than just an entertaining activity — and far deeper and more effective than any therapy I’ve ever known.
Projects like this must exist — they save lives.
With gratitude and love!