When Seeds For Dreams (under the name Za Krajsiu Povazsku Bystricu) started 4 years ago in 2010 we had one intention in Slovakia, to connect children and rebuild our post-communist community.
The essential elements of community growth were lost. Communism destroyed the VALUE of community by destroying small businesses, the art culture, downtowns and villages. Most importantly it's intention was to destroy the human soul from feeling and oppress all elements of freedom through mental manipulation and oppression. Under communism, sharing, giving, playing, laughing were forbidden and those who did and tried were punished.
With our charity, we needed to bring unity and collaboration back to our culture. To teach people and our children, starting at the grassroots level the essential elements to community and cultural survival. In order for our culture to thrive and for any community to thrive we must work together. It is about people working together rebuilding schools, providing essential opportunities for learning for children, engaging people and children in community service projects, engaging businesses in understanding corporate and social responsibilities for community growth and development. It is no longer about what your country can do for you, but rather ask yourself what you can do for your community.
It is by working together in numbers and through positive movements that we can build VALUE and growth to our own communities. And so we started a MOVEMENT in engaging children and our community in sharing valuable resources. Starting with the GIVING TREE PROJECT, then with the FOOD DRIVE, then with SCHOOL REVIVALS, then with REVIVING PARKS and PLAYGROUNDS. We wanted to engage all age groups and we needed to understand how to reach out to our own culture, all over again.
But we all must start somewhere to bring our communities together, somewhere along the way those essential life skills of survival as a community were lost. Either oppressed by governments, or burdened by community struggles, or overshadowed by big business, or living in abusive homes, or living in a bubble, where ever you live we all must always look beyond just ourselves to learn the true values of life and community. Our communities and our schools are our support systems and we must create and build the positive environments we wish to live in. It's up to us to make that change together.
To find out more about our work in Slovakia please visit:
http://www.krajsia-povazska.sk/napisali-o-nas/93-obdarovacie-vianocne-stromceky-2013-tv-noviny-markiza-25-12-2013
Our Holiday Giving Project Dec. 2013
TV NEWS, Markíza, 2: "Obdarovacie vianočné stromčeky 2013"
Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwlQDb2mDDI