OREANDA-NEWS. June 11, 2014. The fifth stage of the “Silver Coin” project organized by UkrSibbank BNP Paribas Group in cooperation with the Ukrainian charitable organization “Down Syndrome” resulted in UAH 308,589.08 raised for the needs of “sunny children”. Over five years of the project, UkrSibbank has managed to collect more than UAH 1 million.
 
These funds will be used to support families whose children have been diagnosed with Down syndrome and to finance psychological counseling, online support, parents’ group meetings, leaflets for maternity hospitals, prenatal and maternity welfare centers and seminars for parents and medical staff in the regions.
 
“UkrSibbank has been supporting the “Silver Coin” campaign for five years in a row. We are glad to see that our efforts are bearing results. Overall, we have managed to raise UAH 1.055 million. This year alone we’ve collected the biggest amount ever – more than UAH 300,000. This means that thanks to our joint initiative people are becoming aware of problems that people living with Down syndrome face,” said Kostiantyn Lezhnin, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board on Retail Banking at UkrSibbank BNP Paribas Group.
 
The campaign kicked off on February 17th giving everyone willing an opportunity to join the project and to donate any sum of money. Donation boxes were installed in all UkrSibbank’s branches throughout Ukraine, wherefrom they were transferred to the account of the “Down Syndrome” organization on a weekly basis. One could also donate directly through the cash desk to the organization’s account 26007265663400 MFO 351005 opened with UkrSibbank. The other way to help was to buy a five-hryvnias-worth special sticker at any branch of UkrSibbank and stick it to the poster in the form of the sun – the symbol of people living with the Down syndrome across the world. Finally, UkrSibbank also offers its “Silver Coin” payment card: the bank will transfer 1% of the amount spent on purchases with this card to the “Down Syndrome” organization’s account.

“Now families with “sunny children” can finally get professional advice, specialized books and attend seminars. More importantly, people are reconsidering their attitude and extending a helping hand to children with the Down syndrome,” noted Kostiantyn Lezhnin.
 
First stage of the “Silver Coin” project took place in 2010 under the motto “A Trifle for You Is Future to Me”. Barely bothering to count change in our pockets, we never give much importance to 1, 5, 25 or 50 kopecks. But even this small amount counts for those in need as thousands of coins can really make a difference to children with Down syndrome. The funds raised in the course of the project were used to equip the Early Development Center for children with Down syndrome, the only center of its kind in Ukraine. The Center provides cost-free programs to more than 480 families nationwide. The money raised during the subsequent stage of the project financed publication of the “See and Learn” special educational programmes for Down syndrome children. In 2012, in five oblasts of the country special training programs were held for kindergarten and early school teachers and their assistants, correctors, speech therapists, psychologists, and parents of children with Down syndrome. The innovatory “Numicon” system – a multi-sensory maths learning kit – has also become available to Ukrainian Down syndrome kids thanks to the “Silver Coin” project. In 2013, collected funds were earmarked to provide such children and their parents with comprehensive diagnostic and consultation support and leaflets, as well as to support the Early Development Center.