Volunteering and Service Activites in Croatia
Sai Youth Group 'Heart of Love'
Usually, twice a week, the Sai Youth Group 'Heart of Love' regulary visit elderly people in the Saint Anne Nursing Home. The youth take them for walks, talk to them, prepare coffee and tea together with biscuits and cakes. Thus the youth show them that they are not alone. On several occasions they were taken to medical appointments in hospitals. Very often, the youth go to the grocery store to purchase items they need. The youth are well accepted by the residents of the Nursing Home who have become very fond of them. In the beginning, the residents used to forget who the youth were and why they came there; but with continuing visits and efforts their memories have become stronger. Besides, not only do they remember the youth now, but they show their joy and affection to them. Thus their physical health and spiritual condition have shown improvement, making Mr. Alzheimer live in a corner alone with Dementia! In short, they have all become very good friends; making their lonely days filled with love, care, jokes and laughter!
The youth continue with their weekly visits to Gornja Bistra Hospital for disabled children where they see progress in cooperation and communication between volunteers and children.
There are weekly visits to Hotel Porin where they work with refugee children from Middle Eastern countries. Those attending school join the tutoring program offered by the youth. They also take the children with health issues concerning eyes and vision for medical examinations and take care that the children get all the necessary help.
The youth continue to cooperate with a volunteer group called 'Together in Love' whose goal is to collect clothes for homeless and poor people. Luckily, the youth have the support of a clothing factory which donates clothes for them.
Service activites are performed with the same intensity and at the same places as in past, as per the following shedule:
-
Once a week they visit refugee children in Hotel Porin
-
Twice a week they visit elderly people at Saint Anne Nursing Home
-
Once a week they spend time with disabled children in Gornja Bistra Hospital
-
They join service activites with volunteer group 'Together in Love' as needed.