2019 was rewarding. We worked hard and got things done. All in all, we helped several thousand people.
We would not have done so much without your support. Your donations, voluntary work, cheers and likes kept us going!
Core activities of the Ocalenie Foundation
Throughout the year, our Help Centres for Foreigners in Lomza and Warsaw were in steady operation. We helped migrants and refugees find accommodation, deal with legal and administrative matters, or recover from trauma. The Centres provided jointly:
- Nearly 2500 consultations of cultural mentor,
- Nearly 900 legal consultations,
- Over 450 psychotherapy sessions, including 211 sessions for children.
Nearly 1200 migrants and refugees attended our free Polish classes for adults in Warsaw and Lomza.
We also helped over 170 children from migrant or refugee families. Our dayroom in Lomza and the mentoring programmes in Warsaw offered regular free-time activities and school support to children. We were also available to their parent whenever they found themselves helpless against the education system.
84 refugees received housing and integrational support as a part of Welcome Home and Refugees Welcome Poland.
In March, we launched Magazin, an in-kind assistance point. Magazin is a store where migrants and refugees can shop for clothes, shoes, household items or cosmetics… for free! By the end of December, over 520 families registered as Magazin’s customers.
Special projects and events
January: Sewing and tailoring group for migrant and refugee women starts its workshops. They meet over a dozen times throughout the year.
March and April: Support group for migrant and refugee women is created. For two months, women meet on a steady basis to learn to deal with stress better.
June: Art auction in support of Refugees Welcome Poland and Help Centre for Foreigners beats the 2018 record. New edition of the Welcome Home programme is launched.
August: 60 kids spend vacations in the beautiful Wisla and Wilga! Soccer matches, film and theater workshops help children of Polish and international background express themselves fuller and make new friends.
September: You (yes, you!) help us collect 551 school supply sets for migrant and refugee children!
October: Ati-discrimination workshops at Polish schools start: by the end of the year, we will have carried out over 20 workshops across the country.
December: Tygiel is out! The first cook book with recipes by refugees living in Poland is sent to over 500 donors who supported its issue.
Two huge Christmas parties for children in Lomza and Warsaw host jointly 173 refugee children. And yes, we do give out presents! 173 customized gift sets, collected with the help of our wonderful donors, brighten up the end of the year for our youngest beneficiaries.
Interventions
We were available to our clients in crisis situations. And you were there for them, too! You helped to stop deportation of Emilia and her children. Thanks to your support Makha, Mansur and their children could move out from the refugee centre, and take better care of their health. You also convinced the Warsaw municipality to keep our rent at a preferential rate, which allowed us to make ends meet and focus on our mission.
You have helped a lot!
You supported us through:
- over 3300 financial donations;
- several hundred gifts in kind;
- voluntary work – over 130 voluntaries provided Polish lessons, school support or every-day assistance to our clients.
Thank you for being there for us in 2019!