The BUDDY program connects children from orphanages with adult fully integragted volunteers for many years, to give the children a chance for a decent life and to give the volunteers a chance for a better society. BUDDY is regularly the only fully integrated adult, who is interested in the children and is not paid for it. Their relationship heals the children and changes lives and communities.
A BUDDY for a life-time for every child in an orphanage
Project owner: Civic association PRO VIDA
Responsible person: JUDr. Andrej Vršanský
2018
2,000 Euro Prize
SK
Civil Society / Social Economy
Poverty
Social welfare, health care
What is it about?
Appreciation of the Jury
Two worlds meet: the first is the world of the professionally and otherwise well-established adults; the second is the world of youths living in orphanages. While materially well cared for, societal everyday life beyond their institutions is often virtually unknown to these youths. They hardly know how to behave and successfully move “out there”. The “buddies” try to enter the world of their protégé(e)s so as to start building a bridge towards independence, for their later use. They lay a foundation; with them, the young experience that someone takes care of them and looks after their growing up into adults. An innovatively configured, trustful relationship can sometimes be better than any individual training.
