Guest guest Posted December 13, 2000 Report Share Posted December 13, 2000 FYI. Len >From: " and Isak " <rais@...> >Subject: appeal for help >Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2000 11:10:51 +0100 > > >I am an American woman living and working in Belgrade, Yugoslavia and once a >week I volunteer with a group of disabled children. It is on their behalf >that I am writing to you. I ask you to please take a moment to read this >letter and to consider the situation I am presenting you with. > >I am sure that you are familiar with Belgrade and Yugoslavia as this country >has been in the news frequently over the past decade. As is obvious from >most headlines the situation here is quite bleak and has been getting >increasingly so for the past ten years. In the last few months, there have >been glimmers of hope that things are changing on the macro-level but it >will take a very long time and a certain number of miracles before those >changes trickle down through society. The children, on whose behalf I am >writing to you, are going to the be the very last to feel and see any of the >benefits of those changes. The social network has not worked in this country >for a very long time, if ever, and these children have been entirely >forgotten by everyone. > >The group I am involved with was organized several years ago by parents of >children with special needs. There are about 50 kids in the group with a >variety of conditions including: Down Syndrome, Autism, Cerebal Palsey, as >well as other related conditions. It was established solely on the parents >initiative and all the motivation to continue its activities comes directly >from them. The government does not provide any funding for these programs. >The children range in age from about 7 to 17 and are a mixed bag in terms of >skills and levels of ability. The group meets once a week for two hours. One >hour is devoted to movement exercises and the other hour to arts and >crafts/skill developing activities. The movement section is led by a former >ballerina and the skills sections by one professional working in the field >and two students studying at the university. > >The atmosphere in the workshop is quiet good despite a number of serious >deficiencies. Firstly, the club only meets once a week for this short >period of time. This is the only time during the week that many of these >children leave their house and their only chance to socialize with their >peers and participate in educational activities. For many of the parents, >this is two hour period is the only time their children are supervised by >anyone other than themselves. A two hour respite, a time to unwind and >converse with other parents in the same situation. Secondly, it is held in >an auditorium that is not conducive to such a group. It is not equipped for >this type of activity and certainly not for kids with these challenges. >Thirdly, the group has very few funds for supplies. And finally, the people >working with the group have very little access to current pedagogical >materials. I have been to the social work and educational libraries at the >university and was not able to find one hands-on, practical book that would >be helpful in working with these children. Despite all of that, the people >working with the kids do so with a large heart and the best of intentions >and have achieved great success. > >There are no other facilities to supplement this weekly workshop to support >or help children (or adults) with special needs. There are a few special >schools but they are not well equipped nor are their staffs trained to work >with these children. Many of the children never attend school. Those that >finish the elementary school find that there is no secondary education >available to them. In most cases, all education ceases when they finish the >elementary school. There are a few residential facilities for >children/adults with special needs but my understanding is that no parent >who cares about his/her child could send their child there and rest easy. >Thusly, this weekly club is the only educational and social network they >have. > >The parents understand that funding comes and goes. After the first year, >all of their funding from an international non-governmental agency was >canceled and they scrambled for months to find another funding source. This >source was found and while it is minimal, hopefully, it will be consistent. >In one respect the parents' persistence and devotion has paid off -- they >have been promised an apartment in which to make a day center so there can >be daily activities for children and adults with special needs . The >apartment is in a state of disrepair and will need a lot of reconstruction >before it can be used. At the moment, there is no money to fund those >repairs so the struggle continues. > >Now that you have a bit of an idea of the situation facing us and the >activities we have here I am asking for your help. I ask you to help us find >some ways to improve the current situation and realize some of these dreams. >All contributions that you can make to this effort would be greatly >appreciated. Of course we are looking for monetary help to better equip the >club or to help commence the renovations that are necessary so that the day >center can become a reality. But, we are just as eager for you to share your >knowledge with us. We would be grateful for any teaching materials you can >send us and other equipment we can use. Our kids here have few toys, barely >any paper and crayons and more importantly no special supplies designed >specifically for them. > >The holiday season is upon us and I would like to be able to share >something special with these kids this season. I would greatly appreciate >any response to this appeal. All information, advice and contributions would >go a long way to improving the situation here. > >Thank you in advance for your prompt reply. > >Sincerely, > > Chanin-Asiel > >Sajkaska 29/VIII/50 >11000 Belgrade >Serbia, Yugoslavia >011-381-11-766-274 >E-mail: rais@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2001 Report Share Posted February 26, 2001 Does anyone remember the appeal Len posted that was from Belgrade. It was from an American woman who was there trying to help a group of parents start a school for their handicapped children. They were looking for supplies. I sent a small box. The shipping was expensive, but it was worth it. This is the response I got, minus the pictures. Donna > Dear Donna, > > Yesterday I received your magic box. What a treasure chest!!! > Every little item was a gem! The kids loved it and it even came in handy. We > were working with watercolors and did not have enough for all the kids. > Viola, there were paints and brushes in your box. Between sessions the kids > were playing with the puzzles and the bubbles (a bit to their parents > dismay). Great, great great! > > Thanks for everything. > > > > Shop online without a credit card http://www.rocketcash.com RocketCash, a NetZero subsidiary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2001 Report Share Posted February 28, 2001 I know you're working on sending things to Bosnia, but I also just received another letter from the woman in Belgrade. If anyone is interested in sending them a package, below is the letter & the address. > Dear Donna, > > Thanks for the offer. You can feel free to pass the letter and information > about our programs to ANYONE you like. This past week I had a chance to > speak with the organizer of the workshop where I volunteer (and 11 similar > workshops throughout the city). It seems that the situation is graver than I > first understood. Every few months (generally six months) she runs around > from organization to organization looking for someone to continue supporting > the workshops (money for supplies and payment for the professionals who work > with the children). After three years, this is harder and harder. Most of > these organizations are willing to support it once or twice but not more. > The government still is unable (or unwilling) to aid these types of > programs. Most of the parents are already social cases (receive food > packages, clothing packages, etc.) and therefore do not have any money to > contribute. After running a serious and beneficial program for three years > she is at wits end to find support. In the near future it might happen that > she will have to scale back the program which would be a shame. All that to > say, please forward information to anyone you can think of! > > All the best, > > > PS This past week we used the bead package you sent and the kids loved it! > >Bread of Life Prota Matija 41 11000 Belgrade Serbia, Yugoslavia Attn: MNRO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.