“Silver Coin”–2015 To Make Inclusive Education Possible In Ukraine

UkrSibbank BNP Paribas Group launches annual charity project “Silver Coin” to help children with Down syndrome. This year fundraising for “sunny” children is scheduled for February 2nd — March 31st.

In 2015 the funds raised by the project will be used to support the process of enrolling children with Down syndrome into general preschool institutions. Thus it is necessary to work out an educational program for teachers throughout Ukraine, form families’ support agency, provide early intervention of specialists (professional psychological and pedagogical support at the Early Development Centre), organize regional training workshops for parents and experts, to create a video-support for experts working with children with Down syndrome.

There are several ways to donate any sum of money:

1. The donation boxes have been installed in all branches. You can put your contribution directly into the box.
2. If the donation is over UAH 1000 the money has to be credited through the teller.
3. You can also credit money directly to: Ukrainian charitable organization “Down Syndrome”, settlement account 26005265663402 MFO 351005 opened with JSC “UkrSibbank”.
4. You can make a donation online through the official website of UCO “Down Syndrome” by clicking the link “Donate”.
5. Another way to help children with Down syndrome is to order “Silver Coin” payment card: the bank will transfer to the “Down Syndrome” organization 1% out of all purchases you will make using this card.

Everyone who donates over UAH 5 in the branch of the bank can get a sticker from the branch employee and place it on the image of the sun — the symbol of people with Down syndrome thus turning dotted image into real sun.

The “Silver Coin” charity project has already become a good tradition generating hundreds of thousands of hryvnias for the needs of “sunny” children. During 5 years we have managed to collect around UAH 1.055 million”, — says Kostiantyn Lezhnin, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board at JSC “UkrSibbank” about the results of the project. “In 2010 we raised funds to equip the Early Development Center for children with Down syndrome — it was the first and the most important step in solving the problem. The money raised during 2011 was used to finance social program “See and Learn” aimed at developing talking and reading skills. In 2012, in five oblasts of the country special training programs were held for correctional teachers, speech therapists, psychologists and parents of children with Down syndrome. Over 650 people took part in training programs. Thanks to “Silver Coin” the innovatory math learning kit “Numicon” became available to Ukraine. In addition, the project provided 108 families throughout the country with necessary assistance in the Early Development Center. In 2013, funds collected during the campaign were earmarked to provide a comprehensive diagnosis and consultancy for children with Down syndrome and their parents from all regions of Ukraine, as well as publishing guidelines for families and introducing programs for Early Development Center UCO “Down Syndrome”. In 2014 funds were raised to help families with “sunny” children: psychological consultancy, therapeutic parental groups, developing and printing booklets for maternity hospitals, perinatal centers and antenatal clinics, as well as regional training seminars for parents and experts”.