Projects 2019 – Gyöngyvirág Children’s Home, Budapest
Various electronic devices including TVs, washing machines, microwave ovens, fridges, irons, vacuum cleaners and reading lamps as well as new beds and a sofa were all part of the package the Gyöngyvirág Children’s Home was able to purchase in 2019 using the donation provided by the Robert Burns International Foundation.
The Gyöngyvirág Children’s Home is indeed, as the name suggests, a home for up to 40 children between 3 and 18 years of age who, for various reasons, cannot live an ordinary family life. Some are orphans, but the majority are children who have had to leave their parents by order of the law. Most only see their natural parents a few times a year – they are looked after by a handful of dedicated care workers who provide physical and mental support for them day and night, working in shifts.
At the Gyöngyvirág Home the children live in 4 apartments, each catering for 8-12 persons: shared bedrooms, a common kitchen, living room and bathrooms. The Home is part of the state-run network of the Social and Children’s Protection Directorate and all workers’ salaries and other operational costs are handled centrally. However, central budgets are typically limited to provide for the bare minimum. In addition, the centralised administration often makes life complicated and their procurement process is typically very lengthy, sometimes leaving the home with broken equipment for years.
No wonder the Home’s dedicated staff, represented by Anett Nyúzó and Zsanett Diószegi, two special ladies, were extremely delighted to receive the donation from the RBIF.
“Thanks to your support we are in such a fortunate situation that we don’t need to cheer up frustrated colleagues when some equipment breaks down by saying it will ‘eventually’ be replaced – rather, we now have enough replacements on stock. When our colleagues are relaxed and happy as the technical conditions are fully provided, they can provide better care of the children as well. And that is the most important for us!”
The Children’s Home has for some years received support from Budapest Airport, RBIF’s 2019 Sponsor of the Year. The Airport’s donation in previous years included money collected from passengers at the airport terminal, as well as voluntary contributions of staff to special events, e.g. showcasing the special airport technical rescue equipment in the Home’s garden for Children’s Day, as well as delivering personalised Christmas gifts to the children assembled from individual donations of airport workers. As a follow up to this cooperation, the RBIF with our sponsors decided to provide a substantial contribution that the Home has never received before, helping to equip the Home after a recently completed renovation.
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The Robert Burns International Foundation (RBIF) is supported by the British Ambassador to Hungary and the Hungarian Ambassador to the UK. The Honorary President of the foundation is Sir Alex Ferguson, former manager of Manchester United football club. In the last 20 years the organisation has raised several hundred thousand euros to help sick and underprivileged children.
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