CaritasUkraine

18.12.13, Volyn
Celebration of Philanthropy Day became a good tradition on the eve of Christmas holidays in Ukraine. This day is commemorated since 2007 on the second Sunday of December to claim principles of humanism and mercy, favor the development of philanthropy and support civic organizations initiative.

“It is a quite fair statement that philanthropy is the greatest manifestation of humanism. Humanism is a capability of one person to conduct oneself humanly with the other person. This capability reveals in many things, for instance, in kind-heartedness, respect, love to neighbors, ability to empathize with them, forgive their human weaknesses and faults. Philanthropist is not an occupation, but the dictates of heart. Perhaps the fact that Philanthropy Day is commemorated on all-Ukrainian level will help to involve more concerned people to this pleasant and needed initiative,” Fr. Volodymyr Kmet, Director of Caritas Volyn, is convinced.

16.12.13, Lviv
Caritas Ukraine won support of Lviv City Council for implementation of this year art-project that unites almost 100 young people with special needs and famous Lviv artists. Their cooperation is aimed at creation of holiday presents that will be distributed among the public and draw attention to problems of socialization of disabled individuals.  

Contributing own style and manner, well-known artists helped to create special Christmas presents. Among them were Ostap Lozynskyi, Olia Kravchenko, Maryan Pyrig, Yevgeniy Ryabchun, Maryana Kvyatkovska. They say that such project is socially important and becomes an alternative for export presents. During workshops with disabled youth they made decorations for Christmas tree – multicolored and joyful horses. Very soon Christmas tree will be decorated with these presents and presented in lobby of Lviv City Council.

13.12.13, Odesa
Fr. Vasyl Kolodchyn has been working in philanthropy over 15 years, since 1998 when he began cooperation with homeless and orphan children in charitable organization “Svitlyi Dim” in Odessa. For the last eight years he heads Caritas Odessa of the UGCC that is involved in nurse care and social and psychological support for people who live with HIV/AIDS and their closest neighbors, prevention of human trafficking, rendering of home care for handicapped and lonely seniors, support of activities of information and consultation center with specialized education on home care for caregivers of severely ill people and social workers, and it also organizes a variety of social initiatives and campaigns.

In 2013 Caritas Odessa (also in Caritas Kolomyia and Novovolynsk) implements an innovation project that is directed at optimization of medical and social services delivery for low-income Ukrainians. The project receives financial support by Rosa Luxemburg Foundation (Berlin, Germany).

11.12.13, Ukraine-Canada
Since autumn last year volunteers from Canada have joined “Christmas Candle” charitable initiative of Caritas Ukraine. They have organized a fundraising campaign to help socially vulnerable children in Ukraine by means of distribution of special Christmas candles.

For 11 years Caritas Ukraine has been organizing “Christmas Candle” initiative for Ukrainians to get involved in solving social problems in the country. It is aimed at distribution of Christmas candles, created by disabled youth, and fundraising to render assistance to children and youth in crisis life conditions.

Every year thousands of such children have possibility to join activities of science teams and creative circles in children’s social centers of Caritas Ukraine, take part in summer camps organization and visit excursions, hold special celebrations and become recipients of target help. Great number of children returned to life in society and in the near future will become active citizens of Ukraine.