1. The Centre for the Protection of Infants, Children and Youth “Zvečanska“
The Centre for the Protection of Babies, Children and Youth “Zvečanska” is one of the biggest institutions for the temporary care of children in Serbia. There is more than one shelter under its patronage and these are: the Dragutin Filipović Jusa shelter, the Moše Pijade shelter, the Drinka Pavlović shelter, and the Jovan Jovanović Zmaj shelter.
FPK together with Lifeline Chicago and Lifeline Greece, as well as other donors, has been helping Zvecanska to function by providing it with equipment and modernization. This in turn gives the children who are living there a feeling of a home and security.
There is currently work being done on furnishing and tidying up the Moše Pijade shelter. This is the only dental practice, which is at the disposal of all shelters within the “Zvečanska” complex. Approximately 300 children who are located in all of these shelters are able to use this dental practice. The donation, which was generously provided by FPK, consists of fully equipping and furnishing an entire dental office.
Over the years, FPK has given help by renovating objects, equipping necessary appliances as well as through large amounts of hygienic products and food. Lifeline Chicago and Mrs. Kathy Fanslow have helped with the reconstruction of the staircase and renovating the bathroom. Until now, Zvecanska has received aid in the form of blankets, beds, necessary hygienic equipment, diapers, toys, food, clothes, shoes and computers. They have also received a Mercedes Vito and Ford Transit van.
2. ‘’Miroslav Mika Alas’’ orphanage in Sombor
FPK and Lifeline Chicago donated funds for this orphanage with the aim to fulfil the best practices for accommodation of their beneficiaries. With the donation the orphanage is finalizing construction works of their sanitary rooms. Upon finalization of the works Mika Alas will fulfil the standard of accommodation by having one bathroom for each 2 rooms. The funds for the reconstruction works and one computer that will directly improve the quality of living conditions for 45 children without parents or parental care were raised at the charity event ‘’ Flavours of Serbia’’ held in Chicago Cultural Centre on October 2010 under the auspices of Crown Princess Katherine.
3. School for children with impaired hearing ‘’Stefan Decanski’’
The oldest school of this type in Balkans will be soon the first school in Serbia that will have an induction loop thanks to donation from Lifeline New York and FPK. Induction loop as the wireless equipment will be used in the group therapeutic work and in everyday classes’ securing at the same time free communication and movement for 170 students in this school. Up-to-date students were depending on wired amplificatory that was narrowing their activities and communication. School Stefan Decanski is as of this year also pioneering as the resource centre as the result of 10 years of successful implementation of the inclusive education process. This included joint extra curriculum activities with students from a few Belgrade schools as well as the seventh generation of University students who from Stefan Decanski School continued their education at regular Universities.
4. SOS Child Line (0800 123456)
Children’s rights are one of the main aspects of human rights and one of the basic pillars of democracy. It is a fact that every child has the right to a safe childhood free from abuse of any kind even though many of these rights are to a great extent abused in Serbia. This prompted FPK to initiate an action for the protection of children’s basic rights by opening an SOS Child Line in 2006.
Taking into account that there was never an all – encompassing, easy–to-use service with a team of highly qualified professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, lawyers and many others) the SOS Child Line project was necessary for a modern democratic society.
SOS Child Line is a project aiming to support children’s and youth rights, which were initiated, realised and financed for the first time in our country through FPK with the support of the Office of the President of the Republic as well as the Ministry of Social Affairs.
The target group for this project are all pre – school and school children, especially those with family problems (divorce, separation, conflicts), abused (physically, sexually, emotionally.), and children faced with any type of abuse.
In Serbia, there are 1,560,000 younger than or 18 years old.
In the first 12 months of 2006, the SOS Children’s Helpline received 15,633 calls. 5,125 calls were taken care of.
92% of all calls were based on calls from children.
8% of calls were made by concerned adults.
| Age group of children who called the SOS Children’s Helpline: Up to 6 years old: 2.9% From 7 to 9 years old: 8,6% From 10 to12 years old: 30,8% From 13 to15 years old: 34,2% From 16 to18 years old: 7,3% Over 18 years old: 16,2% |
Problems that children complained about: Abuse and violence: 6,7% Commercial exploitation: 0,3% Homelessness: 0,3% Peer relationships: 38,5% School problems: 6% Legal questions: 0,4% Drugs and substance abuse: 0,9% Sexuality: 5,1% Family issues: 16,2% Psychosocial issues: 13,7% Physical health: 1,4% Seeking information: 9,4% Discrimination: 0,6% |
In 75% of cases, calls were made with girls and young women.
FPK recognised the need for this type of intervention in 2005 and therefore initiated the SOS Child Line, which is still active today and provides support to children whose rights have been endangered.