I am happy to announce that the Collect Hope project was a success in Ukraine and that all donations were delivered to the children without loss. A total of over 350 kg of donations were collected. Approximately 150 kg went to the Prutylok street children’s home in Rivne. Here is the travel report:

We got out of the car and quickly received eager help from the older children, who proudly carried the packed bags into the home. Everything had already been prepared for our arrival. The girls wore pretty white dresses and the boys wore spotless shirts and trousers. Together with them, we celebrated the coming New Year. There was exuberant singing, dancing, and playing.

Suddenly, Father Frost arrived and, as he does every year, handed out chocolates to the children.
After him, it was time for “Collect Hope” to make its appearance. It was only thanks to the help of all the donors and supporters that it was possible to give each child their own personal gift this year. The children were delighted with the toys and teddy bears. Their eyes also sparkled when they received fantastic fountain pens and pretty writing utensils. Two older boys received boxing gloves, and even though they are at an age where it is too cool to show their excitement, you could see in their
eyes how happy they were.

I paused for just a second: it was done. The first 150 kg of donations had been successfully delivered and had reached the children directly.
Surrounded by exuberant laughter and beaming faces, we all found ourselves in what was probably the most beautiful moment of the long journey of “Collect Hope.”

You can’t buy a child’s laughter, you can only receive it as a gift. Many thanks to everyone who made this afternoon possible: Silke Wehner and her son (clothing donation), Silvia Wehner and her son (clothing donation,
toys, and punching bag), BIC (pen donation), Markus B. (punching bag), Maximilian M. and JE S. Je Schum (socks, pens, many different types of children’s toys, Bullyland (toy figures), the Rolapp family, Elke Ruhland (toys and cuddly toys), Stabilo (colored pencils), Melanie Einbock and Handelsagentur Einbock (cuddly toys) and the Diesendorf family (and many more).

Here is the report from Ukrainian television that was broadcast about our visit: