Procurator Elena Skarupskienė
The charity and support fund „Viltis – Vikonda“ was founded in 1995. Since then fund‘s activities have expanded throughout the country: support reaches the furthest corners of Lithuania, not just Kėdainiai region.
The projects from communities of disabled, youth organizations, schools, kindergartens and villages are funded, culture and sports are sponsored, and however, we care about children the most.
The most of attention and funds go to children from villages. On their way to creating long-lived charity organization, Jolanta and Viktoras Uspaskich have always given their preference to children.
We constantly gather the information about families in need; keep contact with social workers of wards and schools. The most information is received from more than 30 charity volunteers of the fund.
Deep traditions were created during long years of the fund. The biggest event is the Christmas Action. It takes a whole year and a lot of help from all the companies of “Vikonda” Concern to prepare for it: we gather information, prepare food packets that we later distribute to the families in need, disabled and lonely people. We take care that all the residents of children and elder people home and Dotnuva nursing home would gather around a rich festive table.
The action’s culmination is children meeting with Santa at the entertainment centre “Vikonda”, where 500 children gather from Kėdainiai and other regional wards.
The time around Eastern is also busy. The word about the festival has travelled far beyond Kėdainiai region. About 500 kids come to the festival of International Child Protection day from all over Lithuania. They get to see a concert, get treats and participate in all other fun.
Our summer project is „Village kids - to the sea“, the purpose of which is to give a chance for village kids to breath the sea air in Palanga. We also offer holiday by the sea to the pupils of Child Care Home „Saulutė“.
Fund „Viltis – Vikonda“ pays great attention to the education and training of children and teenagers. We dedicate event „Rugsėjis” (September) to help children from poor families prepare for school. And every summer, after the final examinations in schools, graduates from all over the region gather in a big festival „Skrydis“ (Flight).
The biggest project we take up is “Žemės šviesa” (Light of the Earth). The purpose of this project is to help poor students receive education and get a profession. Although the start of “Žemės šviesa” was in Kėdainiai Region, it has already reached a lot of other regions. One important part of this project is „Į vargo pastoges“ (Turning to the poor). During this, we visit plenty of families that do not have the resources to surprise their children a toy or a book.
After gathering information about families in villages, we organized a conference of village mothers from all over Lithuania in September, 2008.
During the years of activity, charity and support fun “Viltis – Vikonda” has expanded its horizons, the extent and variety of charity and support.