Moments of Happiness, Inc.

The “Giving Moments of Happiness” project in Isernhagen is aimed at children who have lost a parent or sibling, children who have little time left to live due to a serious illness, children who are severely traumatized by traumatic experiences (including neglect, sexual abuse, and violence), or children with mental health issues.

A safe space has been created for them. A place where they can meet peers in small, consistent groups, share their fears and concerns, and encourage and support one another. Through these shared interactions with other children facing similar challenges, they find understanding.
The adults respond to the children’s individual needs and give them the opportunity to express themselves. They allow the children to act out their often erratic feelings and reactions. Here, they find answers to their questions and experience long-term reliability.

They feel this sense of security, support, and protection above all through spending time with and sharing experiences alongside their animal friends—the horses. For the horses play a very special, central role in creating moments of happiness and are a key reason for the program’s success. The organization leverages the unique emotional bond that forms between the child and the horse from their very first encounter. After all, the horse is a companion who understands without words, brings joy and a zest for life, and is simply there when needed. Over time, such a close, friendly relationship develops that the horse becomes an indispensable companion for the children.

Together with the children, the organization creates a wide variety of coping strategies, such as group visits to cemeteries and arts-and-crafts and painting activities. Group outings and events are also part of the multifaceted world of “Moments of Happiness.” Since the organization is funded entirely by donations, each family makes a small donation within their means. Before a child joins a group, a detailed meeting with the parents is always held; the association is also happy to visit families in their homes to get a personal sense of their situation. There is regular contact and communication with doctors, psychologists, and others, so that affected parents also receive individual support in the form of conversations and home visits. If further support is needed, the association connects families with other network partners.

It is important to the association that the project is seen as an additional support service and not as a substitute therapy.