Help a war refugee kid from Ukraine to enjoy school by gifting a backpack with all necessary supplies
The First Backpack project (Pirmoji kuprine), started back in 2016 by Vilnius International Rotaract Club (VIRACT), aims to provide children, the first-graders who grow up in low-income and socially at-risk families, with backpacks and other necessary school supplies. The goal of the project is to give prospective freshmen an equal start in school so that children start their first grade with dignity and confidence - they believe that every child has the right to the best start in school.
The goal of the project in 2022 is extremely ambitious - to provide as many as 500 children (almost 4 times more than in 2021) with the necessary school inventory and to include Ukrainian children arriving in Lithuania. Hence, this year the project covers all ages for Ukrainian school children and the first backpacks have been distributed already back in March 2022 in cooperation with NGO Save the Children https://www.facebook.com/savethechildrenlithuania/.
Since the first 30 school bags, were gifted to kids from families at social risk back in 2016 when it first started, dring the last 5 years, first backpacks were already gifted to more than 400 children. Join the effort to make 500 just in 2022!
This project also stands out in the district as very innovative in implementation and promotion. Every year Rotaractors are invited to the morning show of the national broadcaster LRT to tell about the project and encourage donations, they have been using different crowd-funding platforms, cooperated with the top basketball team and various corporate partners, and even had their project advertised on the public transport in several cities. Utility bill consolidation startup Vienasaskaita.lt was promoting the project on their platform, encouraging users to contribute. The Continental company loved the project so much, that joined it as one of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Since the early days, VIRACT cooperated with social workers around the country to identify families in actual need and other Rotary clubs. For example, for many years backpack recipients are also invited to attend the summer charity camp, organized and hosted by Vilnius International Rotary Club. in 2022, Vilnius Sv.Kristoforo Rotary Club joined as project partners to extend their network for the project's benefit.
I have the extra pleasure to promote this initiative, as 7 years ago I was the main sponsor for this Rotaract club to be chartered by former alumni of the mentoring project Rotary Akademija. Moreover, my daughter Gabija Trimbel will start her term as VIRACT president on July 1, 2022.
Make your money bring dignity to school children from Ukrain and Lithuania by gifting them a backpack with brand new basic school supplies. Donate any amount of your choice.
Use the red button below to find multiple options to donate - from a bank account to Paypal and others.
MORE INFORMATION:
Facebook account of project Pirmoji Kuprine / The First Backpack: https://www.facebook.com/Pirmojikuprine/
Website of Vilnius International Rotaract Club: https://viract.lt/
Ifo in English on the crowdfunding platform Aukok: https://www.aukok.lt/projects/?projectName=Pirmoji-Kuprine
Watch the video at the national broadcaster LRT where Gabija Trimbel presents the project during the morning show.
