Christmas Gifts

Project description

Christmas and the winter holidays are a time when warmth, attention and the feeling that caring people are nearby matter especially much. For the children of Belarusian volunteers, veterans and fallen heroes, the holiday can carry particular meaning. In some families, the war has changed everyday life, taken loved ones away, separated families or brought hardships that cannot simply be left in the past.

The Christmas Gifts project organises and purchases Christmas presents for the children of Belarusian volunteers, veterans and fallen heroes.

But this project is not simply about gifts. It is about attention, remembrance and care. It is about the people who remain close, who remember and who have not forgotten the families and children of heroes. We want children to know and feel during the holidays that they are remembered; that their parents’ courage, lives and fate have not gone unnoticed; and that people are willing to give them warmth, joy and faith in kindness.

Children need to believe in wonder, look forward to a celebration, and receive joy and attention. Even a small gift can become more than an object: it can remind a child that they are not alone, that their family has not been forgotten, and that the memory of heroes lives not only in words and commemorative dates but also in human care.

The fundraiser is an annual charitable initiative. The number of children who receive gifts and the value of those gifts will depend on the amount raised in each Christmas campaign.

The planned fundraising target is: €5,000

The project will nevertheless be carried out with any amount raised. The funds available will determine how many gifts and how much holiday support we can provide. If the amount raised is below the target, gifts will be organised within the available means. If more is raised, the project will be able to reach more children or offer broader individual support.

Gifts will be selected according to each child’s age, individual interests and needs, and the family’s particular circumstances. Depending on the project’s resources, they may include toys, books, creative materials, educational or sports items, or other gifts that bring both joy and benefit.

The project’s central task is to bring the holiday into homes that particularly need attention and support: to every family and every child waiting for a little wonder.

Activities and main stages

The first task is to prepare and organise the Christmas initiative

The first stage gathers information about families and children who may participate and estimates the possible number of recipients in light of the funds raised. It also includes organising purchases, communicating with families and preparing the information needed to select gifts thoughtfully and with regard to each child’s circumstances.

The goal is not merely to buy identical presents, but, wherever possible, to make them personal and appropriate to the children’s ages, interests and needs.

The second task is to identify individual needs and select gifts

Every family and child is in a different situation. Gifts will therefore be selected as individually as the organisation of the project and the funds raised allow.

The selection may take into account:

• the child’s age;
• interests and hobbies;
• individual needs;
• educational and developmental needs;
• the family’s specific circumstances;
• the project’s resources and the amount raised.

The third task is to purchase and deliver the gifts

Once the project’s resources and the number of children are known, the Christmas gifts will be purchased.

Funds will be directed primarily to gifts for children. Where necessary, a small part may cover costs directly connected with delivery, packaging, shipping or postal services, so that gifts can reach children and families in different cities and countries.

No budget is planned for project management. This is a principled and ethical position: we want the greatest possible share of the money raised to go directly towards creating a holiday for children.

The final stage is gift delivery and feedback

After delivery, the project’s results will be recorded. Where possible, and with respect for families’ boundaries and confidentiality, feedback may be collected. This will help assess the initiative, understand whether gifts matched children’s expectations and needs, and apply the experience to future Christmas campaigns.

The principal result is not the number of items purchased. It is a child’s smile, a sense of celebration, faith in kindness, and the knowledge that people remember.

Details and budget

Christmas gifts for children

The number of children reached depends directly on the amount raised. The fundraising target is: €5,000

Reaching the full target is not a condition for carrying out the project. All money raised will be used to organise gifts and holiday support within the project’s means. The more we raise, the more children we can reach and the more scope there will be for an individual approach. Gifts will be selected with regard to each child’s circumstances, age, interests and needs.

Logistics and postal services

Where necessary, part of the funds may cover minimal costs directly related to delivery, including:

• postal services;
• delivery;
• packaging;
• shipping gifts between cities or countries.

These costs are necessary to ensure that support and holiday attention reach children directly.

Project organisation

No project management or administration costs are planned. For ethical reasons, the initiative will be organised without a separate management budget so that the greatest possible share of the funds goes directly to children and their holiday.

Total

The fundraising target is: €5,000

Christmas Gifts is not merely a collection for buying things. It is an opportunity to tell families and children: We remember. We are here. You are not forgotten.

May the holiday come into every home, bringing warmth and joy to every family, and may every child feel wonder, kindness and care, even if only for a moment. The memory of heroes continues in the way we care for those they loved most.

If you would like to support the project in another suitable way, please contact us at belarusveterans@gmail.com