News

This has been an extraordinary year for us with charitable and volunteering activities. Despite always being part of IWAK’s mission, the past 4 months have seen our charity work become an integral and prominent part of our planning and co-ordinating activities, since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

However, we have maintained our important relationship with The Women’s Rights Centre (Centrum Praw Kobiet) who have been our chosen charitable organisation for the past 2 years and in this membership year, IWAK has donated PLN 6,000 to support the operations of this deserving organisation. We are impressed with the important work done by The Women’s Rights Centre and can share that they currently help approximately 140 women every month with practical advice and necessary support. Since the end of February, they have also opened their doors to women and children arriving from Ukraine. As we close this membership year and head into the summer vacation months, our time, effort, sweat and sometimes tears will continue to positively impact people’s lives in ways that may be small but it is often the little things that matter so much in the end.

You will remember our close contact and work with Tony and Rhonda Adams of the “Hotel to Housing” project and we are delighted to see this admirable project go from strength to strength. The number of Ukrainian guests they now provide safe and secure accommodation for has risen from 25 displaced persons in March, to over 110 people today. Their youngest resident was just 4 days old when he “checked in” after being discharged from the hospital with his mother, grandma and big sister.

Whether you have been a connector for people, a co-ordinator of aid efforts, helped by cooking a warm meal, donating clothes, lending your ear to someone needing to talk, opening your home to a fleeing family, supporting financially or any number of other ways you as a community have contributed, your IWAK Committee is truly touched, humbled and proud of how you have come to the aid of those in desperate need.

Two weeks ago, IWAK fulfilled another commitment to “The Hotel to Housing” project to furnish, supply and set up their brand new childcare room with appropriate furniture and educational toys and books. This space will be a safe place for mothers to leave their children whilst they work or attend job interviews. Happily, all volunteers remain friends after 5 hours of IKEA furniture assembly!

In total, IWAK has made over 50,000 złotys in charitable donations this year but this is only the tangible aspect of what we have achieved. By now, our members have also donated literally thousands of hours of personal time in service to those who are suffering and there is no price we can put on such a selfless gift.

Thank you Ladies! We hope you are as proud of yourselves and each other as we, your Committee are.

Deborah Draijer