LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, DEAR FRIENDS,

 

Welcome to the page where you can learn about some of our charity activities. We have been inspired by the timeless ideas of Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy and we would like to share with the beneficiaries of our activities the reasons of our efforts. Let me briefly reflect on the topic.

“Do not blame life for what it did not give you and try to appreciate what you have”. This is a beautiful idea as long as you are blessed with good physical and mental health. But what if you lack one of them? Finding the sense and beauty in this imperative requires a lot of energy and humbleness. However, the weight of these words is even greater under difficult circumstances. With respect and admiration, we support those families and individuals who lovingly care for their handicapped or mentally disadvantaged members.

 

“To live honestly, one must fight, make mistakes, start over and over again, lose and fight again”. This hard truth actually applies on many levels. What is important? It is our life condition, particularly the starting line. If you can build on the foundations set down by your ancestors or on the results of other people, everything is easier. But if you need to start from scratch and without the help of others, the way to success is long and full of obstacles … if success is in sight at all. It is often said that, “True happiness is always in our hands. It follows the good life like a shadow follows the body”. But there are so many good, honest and hardworking people who are doing their best and do not succeed. Are they different? Or are they not trying hard enough? What mistakes are they making? Quite often they are not making any mistakes. They are simply not lucky enough to have a good family background, they have nothing to build on, and the world around them is ruthless. Unfortunately, the world turns its hardest face on those who are poor and decent. Therefore we are trying to help those who are in difficult life situations, the socially-deprived and people at the margins of society. “It is always bad to condemn others because we never know what happened to them, and we never know what is happening in the soul of another person”.

 

The following idea requires a sensitive appreciation. More than ever before, it is now very important  to understand that “The rich are not aware of the fact that they are helping the poor with something they have probably usurped from the even poorer“. We all, as members of the modern society, are more or less to blame for poverty in the third world. It is the things we use every day, consumer items, as well as our use of public amenities. Consumerism is adored by the market mechanisms of western economies and we can buy consumer goods, including things we do not need at all, for impossibly low prices. On the other side of the chain, there are simple people in the developing world, barefoot and dressed in rags, who work long hours in inhuman conditions to provide raw materials for our luxurious life. They often work for a cup of rice a day. You are right - we are not the active participants in that process or in their lives. You are right - it is primarily the fault of the governments of the developed countries, or actually the supranational companies because they have made such disproportions in the distribution of wealth possible. You need not feel guilty and it is not our intention to make you feel that way. Nevertheless, we have decided to return a certain part of that wealth where it belongs. We support international projects that seek to eliminate poverty in developing countries and to return dignity to its poorest population.

 

In contrast with the above quotes, we also believe that “Art is the blossom of life in society”. Art can make us richer and give us the sometimes missing emotions. Art is beautiful. Art is removed from economic principles and lives its own life. Although charity is our priority, we also support certain cultural projects which, despite their high quality, are not in the center of media attention and therefore they struggle to find sponsors.

 

“The only true happiness comes from doing good“ we feel the same way. Maybe the work “only” looks too demanding at first sight, but if we take a deeper look, we come to realize that it cannot be omitted. Our life experience has taught us that “That person is happy who finds happiness in the family “. We wish everyone to experience that joy and happiness as much as possible and possibly pass it on.

                                                                                                                                                     Ilona and Jan,
                                                                                                                                                 Pavel and Matěj