About good deeds and the Christian soul.
The story of a sick child is always a story of faith and unbelief. Parents are unable to pay for treatment, seek help from strangers, believe in a miracle to the last. And after receiving the money, they can’t believe for a long time that it’s selfless. Benefactors, in turn, doubt the sincerity of the petitioners. And even after sending a donation, they are not sure that help will reach the recipient.
What mechanisms should be used to involve as many people as possible in charity? Why is the saying "trust but check" more relevant than ever when it comes to funds? What are the prospects of the domestic charitable media holding? Ufond’s special correspondent Olga Petukhova discussed these and other issues with Ilona Sokolovskaya, editor-in-chief of the Glas spiritual and educational television channel.
Glas TV started broadcasting in 2005. The TV channel broadcasts cultural, educational, social programs, as well as programs that reveal the essence of Christian teaching, Orthodox news. "Glas" has satellite broadcasting, it is watched both in Europe and on the American continent.
For more than a year now, Glas has been actively cooperating with Ufond: the Territory of Good TV project regularly features stories about children in need.
- In March 2015, the first story about our ward Yula Domanskaya, a girl from the city of Belaya Tserkov, was published. Julia has diabetes, then we raised money for an insulin pump. What was the response of viewers? - The response was very lively and really kind. The audience called Julia’s mother (we gave her the phone), actively transferred money to the device for the girl. We penetrated ourselves, the story was touching, the family sincerely wanted to help. About a month later, we made a new story - about how doctors installed Julia’s insulin pump. This was probably a positive step, it was a good incentive to continue working with the Fund.
- Do you follow the fate of each child who was told on the air? - Definitely. During the year we made 12 stories, funds were successfully raised for the treatment of eleven children. Of course, our TV viewers, readers of the Ufond website, also donated. The twelfth story is still on our air, the money has not yet been collected. It’s about Zoe Potapenko, a girl with a heart defect.
Undoubtedly, the TV company is only an intermediary between donors, charities and, to some extent, doctors. Nevertheless, we are very pleased when parents call the TV channel, thank you for your help. I must say that most parents have a hard time believing that they received help unselfishly. The general commercialization of our society is affected, the help of a voluntary "community" of strangers seems unrealistic. But when we shoot stories about recovered children, we see how the parents’ eyes shine with happiness, how the voice trembles with joy and excitement. I would like, of course, that everyone who makes donations can feel at least a part of this gratitude.
- Not everyone trusts charities. Many believe that this is a business. What are the criteria for determining the reliability of the fund? - Distrust is quite justified, there are many who want to make money on someone else’s trouble. But, thank God, there are other people who are not indifferent, ready to help, to show their civic position.
It seems to me that in the age of information technology there is nothing easier than to do your own inspection of a charity: go to its website, track its attendance, see if personal information is published - letters, contacts of parents. Be sure to check how many people have already been helped. Do not be lazy to call the fund, ask questions about current projects.
Also important is the openness of the organization, willingness to cooperate with the media, participation in public projects.
When we start working with new partners, we make sure to check the information about them. For example, we can say about the Fund that the organization is open to new initiatives, does not care about public relations, is actively involved in public projects. We also see reports on the activities of the fund. And this speaks to the transparency of his work. But even with the most favorable reviews, I believe that every donor should be personally vigilant.
- Do you think that foundations, the media and public organizations should join forces to effectively implement charitable programs?- When we analyzed on our channel how foreign media work on social issues, we found a role model. It’s about Britain. It turns out that a single state base of those in need has been created in this country. From this base, volunteer organizations that want to help raise funds draw information. Can you imagine how cool this is? Charitable foundations that work with certain diagnoses (diabetes, heart disease, etc.) also see a common base. Both TV channels and radio stations turn to her to create their own programs and stories. This is a very good experience, which eliminates the possibility of deception and manipulation, dishonest earnings.
Of course, the issue of creating a unified base of those in need must be decided at the state level. In the meantime, it seems to me that the media could unite and create their own base. This would be very effective, because there are cases when help needs to be provided in the coming days or even hours. We can submit news, make live broadcasts. They could also hold charity marathons together, that is, create a single social information field. I urge all media executives to meet each other and even partially reconsider their broadcast in order to help their fellow citizens more effectively. For this, you can use satellite broadcasting - many central Ukrainian channels, as well as our channel, have the opportunity to go to the United States, Canada and Europe. If this air is filled with social projects, then Ukrainians, by the will of fate those who found themselves abroad will also be able to join charity. Sometimes it is worth sacrificing commercialization.
- Recently, the Voice TV channel together with Ufond launched a project to help children with vascular pathologies. We are talking about the purchase of laser equipment for the National Children’s Specialized Hospital OHMATDET. Why did Glas initiate the project? - In the hospital we met children who have special pathologies - spots and tumors on the face, so-called hemangiomas. Such children find it very difficult in kindergarten and school, they are teased, they find themselves in isolation, and this is a psychological trauma, a crippled fate.
Hemangiomas are removed surgically, but in some cases, laser therapy is more appropriate. This method is less traumatic. Unfortunately, there is no modern laser device in the OHMATDET hospital.
There are many villagers among the young patients. If in the cities parents are stronger and can turn to volunteer organizations for help if needed, then in the villages there is no such possibility. This is a tragedy. Very low salaries do not allow to raise funds for the treatment of a child in a private cosmetic clinic.
But there is another problem. Let’s say the money is found, the parents go to a private clinic. They undertake to correct the defect with a laser, without sufficient experience. The parents seize this very precious chance, and then the child returns to OHMATDET with an even more serious defect.
Laser equipment allows you to completely discolor small formations on the face. But OHMATDET cannot buy it, as the clinic does not have sufficient funding: only the costs of staff salaries and electricity costs are covered. Many consumables have to be purchased with the help of volunteers.
In our case, there is the good will of the company that supplies laser equipment: it has reduced the cost by almost three times. We ask all people to join the fundraiser for the purchase of laser equipment. Imagine the happiness of helping a child find a clean face, free of blemishes and tumors. It’s like a ticket to a new life…
- To help someone, of course, you need an inner stimulus. What motivates people to do charity work?- Probably, each person will have his own personal motive. But I would like to recall the words of St. Theophanes the Hermit. This wise theologian and preacher had a great gift for judging the important very simply. Saint Theophanes wrote: “If you are just thinking about becoming a Christian, you just do a good deed to someone once a day. Start with one good deed, do it one month, second, third, then start doing more good deeds. And you will not notice how your soul will become a real Christian. This is what he said to ordinary, secular people. For us with you ".
11/05/2016