Letovanic Adopted Village, Croatia
SSIO Croatia came to know of Letovanic, a beautiful but poor village on the banks of the river Kupa in central Croatia, during the extensive floods of September 2014. Then SSIO Croatia supported the village by bringing aid packages but decided to stay and adopt the village. Packages with food and sanitary necessities, clothes, shoes, and school accessories are being supplied on a regular basis to the poorest families in the village. Flooded houses needed new furniture and some of them a good clean-up. Sai volunteers cleaned a house occupied by four boys that was ruined by floods and installed three new bunk beds with new mattresses.
Chain saws needed to cut wood for stoves during winter and bicycles were given as gifts. Each gift from Sai volunteers was welcomed with excitement, smiles, and tears of joy. The local school with 9 children needed a new printer and the school library was devastated by the floods. Sai volunteers bought a multi-functional printer for the school and collected books for the new library. The nearest medical centre is far away, and buses rarely run. A Sai doctor tested villagers’ blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Sai volunteers have also established partnership with local associations. The local fire station is a venue for many events. Together with Croatian Red Cross, Sai volunteers organised the arrival of Santa Claus with carol singing and gift packages during Christmas time. Together with Humus association volunteers organised education on the production of ecological manure.
EHV classes for children and parents was also organised. The presentation was attended by the local school principal, municipality mayor, and teachers.
SSIO of Croatia was invited to the Fire Brigade assemblies between 2015 and 2017 and received awards for selfless service to villagers.