December 11, 2009 – The Pontis Foundation in cooperation with Hewlett-Packard Slovakia organized an interesting Christmas week. The foyer of the company turned into a bazaar where non-governmental organizations sold Christmas decorations, cooked toddy and sold marvelous strudel cakes. The bazaar served also as a place where NGOs discussed their projects and activities, acquired contact details of volunteers and collected donations for their activities. They held a theatre play here and spread joy. Employees of HP supported the NGOs by a total sum of 1 171 €.
This was already the second time that Hewlett-Packard Slovakia organized such a Christmas week. The philosophy of their employees says that at the time of the Advent we cannot forget the ones, who are less fortunate or need our help and support.
„Giving is just as joyful as receiving. Not everyone is equally healthy and lucky in life. There are many people among us whom we can help and before Christmas such a help warms us at the heart much more“ says Ivana Kompasová, marketing manager of HP.
An opportunity to make new contacts
On Monday, December 7, 2009 and on Tuesday, December 8, 2009 we organized a presentation of 7 non-governmental organizations. The Home of Social services on Sibirska street offered ceramics products, Dom Svitannia (the House of Dawn) from Jakubovo offered textile products and postcards. Both organizations work with mentally handicapped clients. Also displaying was the kindergarten and elementary school for handicapped children on Hrdličkova street.
„This is an interesting opportunity for us to make contact with companies. At the same time our clients get a chance to present themselves and improve their social skills,“ says Stefi Nováková from Dom Svitania (the House of Dawn), stressing the importance of the event.
Vierka Záhorcová from the Civic Association Inklúzia referred to the significance of the event by saying: „Because Radnička is currently under reconstruction, this is an opportunity for our new clients, training to be waiters, to try out their skills in serving drinks and deserts.“ It was in fact the aroma of the fresh strudel cake, the Christmas pastry and the warm fruit toddy, offered by Inklúzia, that tempted employees of HP to slow down their working tempo for a minute and visit the bazaar.
Bunder, Abigail, gingerbread, but also projects in Africa
On Tuesday, Great Country replaced the protected workshops. This is a new program of the Pontis Foundation. On its webpage www.dobrakrajina.sk people can support projects of non-governmental organizations.
Every donor has his own profile on the page and knows how much money he or she has already donated, where this money is heading and how it will be used. The donor can communicate directly with the organization he or she supported.
„Hewlett-Packard is one of the partners of Great country and we are very happy to have introduced the program to the employees in such an interactive manner. Presentations, showcases of projects, product sale and interviews were very well chosen and employees had up to date information on what is happening on the given day thanks to good internal communication,“ comments on the event Monika Smolová, program coordinator of the Pontis Foundation.
Two of the projects were presented during the Christmas week. The eRko organization spoke about Great Country and projects in Africa, Training school for guide dogs for the blind introduced a simulation program, on which employees could try out what various vision damages feel like.
The biggest crowd-puller on this day were Bunder and Abigail, two trained guide dogs for the blind, that obey every word of their master.
„This is a new experience for us,“ says Jan Grenčík, coordinator of the Good news – carol event of eRko. „Usually we present Good news while caroling in homes or in churches. Until now, we haven’t done a presentation in a company. During conversations with employees we found out what kind of information they need to know about our work and what materials would be interesting and useful for them in the future,” he concludes.
Being generous is worth it
During the event, employees of HP could send great messages from Great Country or exchange wishes for gingerbread pieces. One of the nicest wishes was about big giving hearts and the joy from helping.
During the Christmas week, employees of HP were really generous and supported NGOs that participated at the event by a total sum of 1 171 €. From this amount 55 € went to the Great country program, 274 € to the Training school for guide dogs for the blind and 239 € to eRko. By selling their products protected workshops earned altogether 603 €. Hewlett-Packard Slovakia donated the exact same amount to cover travel costs of the organizations and fees of actors from the theatre - Divadlo z Pasáže. The theatre works with mentally handicapped actors and closed the Christmas week with its play – Behind the curtain a miracle flies.
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