For Healthy Children of Serbia (2009)

(08/10/2009) Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“ held a charity dinner in the Crystal Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, gathering all the people of good will who wanted to help the Home for Children and Youth with Special Needs in Gračanica and endangered Serbian families with several children in Kosovo and Metohija through their donations.

The participants were addressed by: Vladimir Marković, the president of Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“, Dr Željko Milošević, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Melita Vujnović, the World Health Organization representative, Bojan Andjelković, the Assistant of the Minister for Kosovo and Metohija and His Eminence, Metropolitan of Montenegro and Littoral Amfilohije Radović.

Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“ proposed a series of preventive measures for healthy offspring by a proper care during the prenatal period. Among the proposed measures there were also pre-conceptual counseling, regular gynecological checks and examinations, ultrasound examinations between the 11th and 13th week of pregnancy, ultrasound examination between the 20th and 24th week of pregnancy, tests, psychological and physical preparation of pregnant women for childbirth, organizing of a free parenting school on the territory of Serbia, synchronized and planned actions undertaken by state authorities and other relevant groups, finalization of pre-registration of certain medications, and regular supply of medicines from the group of spasmolytics, which are indispensable in childbirth to the relevant institutions.

According to the data available to the Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“ there are about 12,000 children and youth with special needs in Serbia, of which about 2,000 of them are in difficult or very difficult condition. In most cases there are problems that are mainly the consequence of irregular or poorly controlled pregnancies and traumatic childbirths. With a slightly higher funding by the State, socially responsible behavior by individuals and slightly greater involvement of the institutions and medical professionals we can significantly reduce the number of children with disabilities. Attendees were presented the recent results of the Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“, established with the aim of helping the most endangered, following the tradition of the Serbian society in helping others with the task of renewing it. „Nezaboravak“ brings together people of good will, with the firmly stated principles of unselfishness and humanity. In the Serbian society which is undergoing the transition with a number of social traumas from the past, Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“ works in an organized manner, beside many other NGOs, in full awareness that the state with its institutions will recognize the importance of such activities and by their legal acts make Serbia socially stable country. Solidarity with the children in need is the imperative of the Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“, and the most important is that each of us does something every day that will return the smile on the face of children who need help the most.

Addressing of the president of the Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“ is conveyed completely:

Your High Eminence, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends

First of all I wish to thank you everyone on behalf of the Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“ for accepting our invitation in the hope that we will all do everything which is in our capabilities to support those who need help the most.

Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“ was founded as a desire of many good people who wanted to help socially endangered people within their possibilities. The members of our society are people of different professions, different ages, different character and ambition, but with the same goal - to restore our tradition; not to forget the people in trouble and distress and give them a hand and help. Unfortunately, today despite the progress we are making as a society and community at large, many people need help and we will try to help them as much as we can. Besides the support we provide, we are here to point out the possibility of a more appropriate legislation to improve the life of all our citizens in need. Our attention is particularly directed to the youth of this country, to our children, to the children who need help, who ask someone to guide them, a handshake or a hug, hope and affection, love and attention, kindness and mercy. We are constantly faced with the statements that our children are most important and that their proper spiritual and physical development are of extraordinary value, but how much do we actually do to support this? How much attention have we devoted to this especially in an era when the material outweighs the spiritual? Today, the Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“ wants everyone to send the message that they must never forget the sick, helpless and all those in trouble and that those who can help do so, in order to bring the light and optimism in their lives, to show them that they are not forgotten, to bring hope and faith in their lives and help their eternal dream that they will one day have a life like everyone else.

Dear friends,

We are not a political party, so we are not dealing with the politics and therefore, it is not our intention tonight to point the finger at any political party or the government, but we have to remind those that their promise from a little over a year and a half in the name of the Government of the Republic of Serbia that soon it will be able to discuss and adopt a new Social Security Law that will provide more up-to-date and humane social care, attention and state assistance to the endangered groups has not been fulfilled yet. Namely, our initiative to provide the single parents and caregivers the status of employees and the monthly income at the average level of the Republic of Serbia and thus help these parents to be near their children was supported then. I wonder who can provide better help, love, attention and care to them than their parents. There are about 2,000 of serious or severe cases of the disabled children in Serbia. To this day the long-awaited law with the new legislation in this area has not been adopted yet, so we hope in the name of the people and their children who need help that the decision-makers will understand the importance of this issue and begin to carry out nothing more than they promised, in our presence and the presence of the general public especially those who are awaiting help.

Dear friends,

The Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“ today launches a new initiative called “For healthy children of Serbia”. We believe that this new approach to the emergence of new life can improve the levels of health services and care and significantly reduce the possibility of childbirth with the tragic and unfortunate outcome. The proposed measures are not dependent on large financial investments, but from a completely different approach from the family planning to the pregnancy maintenance where all people participate from the future parents to the physicians, with the benefit to the future family and therefore the nation. In most cases, we can prevent problems that result from irregular and poorly controlled pregnancy by these measures. Considering the aforementioned, their significance is of the utmost priority for all of us. In addition to the measures we suggest and hope to be supported by the general public, experts and authorities, I also address to you on behalf of the Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“ that this evening, everyone in accordance with its own capabilities personally makes a donation to help those in need.

All funds that we raise tonight, the Humanitarian Organization „Nezaboravak“ will channel to provide the necessary assistance to the Home for Children and Youth with Special Needs in Gračanica and endangered Serbian families with several children in Kosovo and Metohija.

So, wake up your souls tonight, fill them with joy and let us give hope for the future, make parenting more certain and offspring healthier. Let each of us find its own meaning in giving for the new life of Serbia.

Once again I thank you all for having come to our mission and I would conclude with the words of William Penn:

„I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.”

Thank you!