Charity in Pivka and around

Our students have done some research on history of some charity organisations in their home town and nearby villages.

RED CROSS
The records about Red Cross activity around Pivka date in school year 1914/1915. Teachers and students at school were sewing and nitting clothes for soldiers. During the first world war students were also collecting food for Red Cross. Teachers and students were collecting money and gifts for the soldiers at the front. They were given many acknowledgements for their work.
In the 1940s Red Cross was present in most of the villages around Postojna and Pivka. Doctors and nurses were also working for Red Cross and blood donation campaigns were organized. They were also collecting supplies for people (especially during and after the WW2, when a lot of people lost all their possesion). In the 2nd half of the 20th century the members of RC also organized many charity concerts and they helped people to rebuild their homes after severe earthquake in 1970s. In the 1980s young members of RC were helping the old and disabled people. They also provided poor students with school supplies, clothes and food, they organized trips and holidays for children whose parents couldn't afford it ...

KARITAS
Karitas in Slovenia evolved from 'PO Box of Kindness' which was founded in 1969 by a Catholic magazine. In Pivka Karitas started to work in 1991, when a group of young katholic democrats decided that they wanted to help others. They were collecting food at various stores. In warehouses packages were made and sent to people who needed supplies. After the war in Bosnia and Croatia in 1993 there were many refugees who needed help in our area. People who work for Karitas are volunteers and they organize all sorts of activities to collect money. Today they help people who lost their jobs, old and lonely people. They also collect clothes, furniture, they lend hospital beds and other supplies. High school students and other volunteers help elementary school pupils with their homework and studying. They also organize various workshops. Once a year they pay a visit to the residents of nursary home in Postojna. They also take part in other charity activities - this year they were also collecting supplies for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.
Here are some thoughts about poverty by mr. Marjan Škvarč, the minister in Pivka:
'People are considered poor if they aren't able to live a normal life. People are poor if they don't have enough money to buy food, clothes, a place to live ... In the past, people were considered poor if they didn't have their own farmland or a job to provide enough food. Nowadays in the western world the situation is different. People are used to spend more, so every limitation is considered as poverty. There is less solidarity than in the past. People used to help each other at their everyday tasks. In the villages people still help each other but in the cities they don't know each other and they don't know if their neighbour needs help. Karitas helps people with food packages and clothes, we also counsel them if they have family problems etc. We also help in missions all around the world.'
Within Karitas in Pivka there's also a group of twelve enthusiasts 'Bejš če uejdeš', who literally build roofs above people's heads. They helped to a lot of people in Slovenia and worldwide (South America, Asia, Africa).