News

This is the third year in a row that UkrSibbank is collaborating with the Likar.Infund International Charity Foundation to donate recreational areas as New Year’s gifts for children living in orphanages and boarding schools. As early as this spring, 700 children from 6 orphanages will have fun swinging, climbing, and playing on brand-new seesaws, swings, horizontal bars, and slides.

 

“The decision to arrange such a present for children came to us for the first time during the financial crisis in 2009. Those were hard times for the bank, as well as for other companies. However, we never forgot that there are people who have no one to rely on for a helping hand, above all, children deprived of their parents’ devoted care. That was when we decided, instead of purchasing New Year ‘s souvenirs for our clients, to organize a special gift for children by building modern playgrounds for them to enjoy their time outdoors and let them feel positive emotions and care that they need,” said Philippe Joannier, Chairman of the Management Board of UkrSibbank BNP Paribas Group.

 

Today, thanks to the Reasonable Charity project, more than 1,600 kids can play safely in playgrounds. In a two-year period the bank has managed to construct and equip 16 sports and playground complexes for orphanages throughout Ukraine. Until recently, there have either been no playgrounds whatsoever at these institutions or they were in such a bad state that they presented a serious danger to children.

 

“This year we will build new playgrounds in both oblast and raion centers. It is important to us that the young residents of children’s homes, orphanages, and boarding schools in small towns feel wanted and cared about,” Mr Joannier added.

 

This year, cities of Chernihiv, Luhansk, and Sumy, together with Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, and Cherkasy oblasts, will witness the opening of such sports and play zones.   

 

“Three years ago UkrSibbank – a pioneer in the Reasonable Charity project –set a good example of how to really help children. It is a common New Year’s practice for many companies to present kids with chocolates and mandarin oranges which are, in fact, nothing more than a one-time expenditure with virtually no social commitment. Sweets are not good for the health of children, who are quick to forget them the very next day. But playgrounds will last for years to come, bringing joy into children’s lives,” said Larysa Slyunchenko, CEO of the Likar.Infund International Charity Foundation. “We are extremely grateful to UkrSibbank for continuing to support this project in 2012, and we hope to see other benefactors join our initiative.”

 

To see photos of sport- and playgrounds for kids built with UkrSibbank’s support in 2009 –2010, please visit Social projects > Real Gifts - Reasonable Charity