Winners Medal Heart of the Earth 2016
Medal 8
The Children of Africa Foundation
For already eight years The Children of Africa Foundation has been fulfilling the UN Millennium Development Goals, which at the same time, are it’s statutory goals.
We undertake such activities as:
– elimination of extreme poverty and hunger through feeding and supporting the orphaned children for the poorest families ( Cameroon, Central African Republic, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania),
– ensuring access to education, for example by building schools (Ghana, Uganda, Ethiopia), on primary, post primary and university level (Cameroon, Ghana, Burundi). Providing teaching ids for schools, and school supplies for students ( Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ghana, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Namibia),
– trying to limit number of death among children by supplying mission health centers with milk powder, meant for little orphans and mothers suffering from AIDS (Cameroon),
– improving families’ health care by supplying mission health centers with medicines, supplements and medical equipment (Cameroon), and with glasses for people with visual impairments. We cooperate with polish voluntary doctors, whose medical help reaches places previously visited by Foundation representatives ( Cameroon, Namibia, Ghana),
– limiting spread of malaria as well as other diseases by supplying poor families with mosquito nets, soap and sunglasses ( Uganda, Cameroon), and by building wells (Ghana, Cameroon)
– providing humanitarian aid for families affected by natural disasters (Central African Republic)
Medal 9
Ahmad Yusuf Aulia
„I want to dedicate my life to my religion, human being, my family and nation”
Ahmad Yusuf Aulia is a histologist.Jest absolwentem Uniwerytetu Medycznego w Indonezji. He lives and works in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is a former pupil of a Medical University of Indonesia.
He completed his Ph.D. in Kobe, Japan.
He dedicated his life to helping the poor, the oppressed and the sick.
Since he was a little child, he has been organising tutoring for colleagues, meetings for troubled youth in juvenile prisons, charities for poor students.
As a student, he organized rallies designed to draw attention of the government of Indonesia to the disastrous economic, social and political conditions, corruption and alcoholism.
He chose medicine in order to be able to help as many people as possible. He has participated in many projects, including research on parasitic and coronary diseases.
Ahmad Aulia Yusuf sees the biggest problem in the differences in treatment of poor people.
For many years he worked in a poor neighborhood of Jakarta, helping the needy.
He created a free of charge treatment programme for the people living in slums.
Medal 10
Foundation Światło (The Light)
Foundation Światło (The Light) has existed since 2003.
Its mission is supporting the sick and disabled, in particular, people in a coma and oncological patients.The main activities of the Foundation are focused around its Care and Treatment Facility for 43 „Sleepers” – patients in coma.It is the only facility in Poland where adult patients in a coma can find care and rehabilitation.The biggest success of the ZOL (Care and Treatment Facility) is waking 46 people from coma.This number of awaken people is not only an excellent result in Poland, but also across the whole Europe.The problem of a coma affects not only the patient, but his whole family, hence the activities of the foundation also include the „Kaganek” programme for orphans and the „Centre of Support for the Families of Sleepers” project.Both initiatives are aimed at supporting the patient’s family.The Swiatlo Foundation also carries out a Nationwide Academy Network of Figthting with Cancer.A place of free psycho-oncological support for patients and their families.Currently, the Academy operates in 12 cities in Poland, including Torun, Poznan, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Czestochowa, Gdynia, Gdansk, Kalisz, Zamosc, Jelenia Gora, Suwalki, and Bialystok. Quarterly, the Academy provides support to 500 patients.The aim of the Academy of Fighting with Cancer. is not only motivating to fight the disease, but also helping in understanding of the disease and making changes in one’s life.The programme of activities of the Academy is focused primarily on psycho-education, therapy sessions, physical activities and dietetics.
Medal 11
Podlachia Oncological Hospice Foundation
„Being with another person makes every moment of a man’s life beautiful”
Pawel Grabowski – oncologist, dental surgeon, a specialist in palliative care.
He left his career far in the capital and went on a „mission” to a small town in the Podlachia to serve others with his knowledge and heart for the dying of cancer He founded the Podlachia Oncological Hospice Foundation, placed in Nowa Wola village, which takes care of terminally ill people from many tiny villages of Podlachia.
Dr Grabowski travels tens of kilometers every day to get to their homes.
He provides help where there is no hope, no strength, and only suffering.
Dr. Paul treats all his patients with great respect. he never gives up and fights until the last minute.He sacrifices himself to relieve suffering at the end of their lives without expecting anything in return.
Dr. Paul Grabowski is the president of Podlachia Oncological Hospice Foundation. It operates without a contract with the National Health Fund, keeping up with the financial support of individual donors and institutions.
Medal 12
Helena and Zdzislaw Czarnecki
„We give a hand to those who are in a difficult situation” -According to this principle act Helena and Zdzislaw Czarnecki.Mrs and Mr Czarneccy are people with great hearts, sensitive to human adversity.For many years, they have been helping financially and materially the needy.They support many events at the national and international level and promote our city as well as our country.They support not only the people in need, but also those who work for the needy.Foundations that depend on donations and suport of others have a raison d’etre thanks to people like Mrs and Mr Czarnecki.Their commitment comes from a pure need to help the others.Working for others is an inherent part of their lives.In order to be able to help a wider number of recipients they founded the Czarnecki Family Foundation.Their foundation organizes many events for children, charity, Easter and Christmas Eve meals for thousands of the poor.Mrs and Mr Czarneccy are representatives of businesses of Bialystok,. They are focused on selflessly helping the othersNowadays it is a rarity, because even though they work very hard on their business, they still have time for helping others.
Medal 13
Rimantas Kaukenas – Charity Group
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, not just the child’s life but also their parents, grandparents, family members and friends lives are turned upside down. Priorities change, everyday concerns suddenly seem insignificant and a future once so positive and full of hope can become unwelcoming and daunting.Rimantas Kaukenas Charity Group is a dynamic charity organisation that brings hope, strength and joy to children across Lithuania living with life-threatening medical conditions. Along with the help of other sportsmen, actors and friends, we try to grant magical moments to the children in need from Lithuania.Rimantas Kaukenas Charity Group organizes various kinds of charities. The collected funds are spent on medical equipment for hospitals, individual aid for needy families and fulfilling the dreams of sick children.Charity Group also helps the families of sick children come to terms with the trauma of diagnosis, participates in the long and difficult journey of treatment.The foundation has one simple aim: to ease the burden of children diagnosed with cancer and their families.
Medal 14
“Help on time” Foundation
“… make others happy and in their happiness find one’s own “ – these words of Julian Tuwim, were Mr Stanislaw Kowalski’s inspiration to start “ Help on time” Foundation.
The Foundation was establish in order to save children’s lifes and health. It finances medical treatment, rehabilitation, medicines and medical equipment supplies. The “Help on time” program was founded in 1998, under the patronage of world famous heart surgeon Professor Zbigniew Religa. The Foundation’s mission is support by commonly known and respected figures, such as Beata Tyszkiewicz, remarkable actor, who took over as the President of “Help on time” Community.
At present, 30 000 seek and disabled children, from all over the country, use the help of Foundation, and that number is growing rapidly. These children suffer from cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, autism, retinopathy, Down syndrome, tumor, genetic heart defects.
Proteges of the Foundation can participate in rehabilitation holidays in rehabilitation centers, started by the Foundation – AMICUS, BIOMICUS and CEMICUS in Warsaw, and use accommodation, together with a attendant, in 5 foundation’s hostels. In these centers, children are provided with comprehensive help by specialists: doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, speech therapists.
Stanislaw Kowalski – President of the “Help on time” Foundation, awarded with dozens of medals, including among other The Order of Polonia Restiuta , Gold Cross of Merit and Order of Smile.
Winners Medal Heart of the Earth 2014
- Aleksandr Medved
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One of the greatest wrestlers in history. He won seven gold medals at World Championships and was a three times winner of the Olympic Games: 1964 Tokyo, 1968 Mexico and 1972 Munich.He devoted himself not only to coaching wrestlers, but he has also a promoter of other fighting styles such as Alysh , Kurash , Zurkhaneh or Koluchstyl.
Mr. Medved is committed to the integration of martial arts. His motto says: „Fighting – yes. But only on the mat.”
Thanks to activity of Mr. Alexandr Medved and his supporting various sports initiatives , many young players can take part in international tournaments , strengthening bonds between athletes from around the world.
He used his great authority and great experience in the martial arts to work for the international community integration.
His enthusiasm inspired many people around the world to actively promote sport.
- Father Edward Konkol
Father Edward’s life was never limited to the religious order he belonged to.
His mission began in Bialystok in 1986, when he started helping alcoholics, drug addicts, HIV virus infected, and difficult to work with young people.
In 1991, together with other volunteers, he started the “Droga”(“The Road”) Association that works with children and their parents, as well as all people rejected by others and victims of fate.
He also established the „Etap” („Stage”) Prevention and Therapy Centre for Youth and Adults to help rejected young people, emotionally disturbed, demoralized and affected by crime, especially drug addicts.
He opened „Dom Powrotu” („Return Home”) the first facility for children deprived of parental care in the eastern part of Poland.
Thanks to Fr. Edward’s initiative, every year, the city organises Christmas Eve during which food parcels are distributed to the poor and needy.
During the summer, children of small villages of Podlasie province go with volunteers of „Droga” to summer camps for free.
- Ewa Błaszczyk
Polish film, stage and TV actress, singer. She is the founder and president of the non-profit organization „Akogo?” created to help children after severe traumatic brain injury, often staying in a coma.Together with the Ministry of Health and a team of experts, she created the “Waking children from a coma” programme, which is supported by the government.She built the first neurorehabilitation center for children in coma in Poland. Children can stay in the clinic for free and live there together with their parents who are involved in the process of rehabilitation. Twelve children woke from coma during the first year of functioning of the Clinic.
The activity of the Foundation and the Clinic is possible thanks to the generosity of many individual donors, institutions and companies.
4. Philip Peter Bam 
He lives in Cape Town.
He studied at the Calvinist Theological Seminary, and was ordained in 1973.
Because of his great interest in the affairs of the visually handicapped community, Mr Bam resigned his full time ministry in 1979 to take up the position of Executive Director of the League of Friends of the Blind [LOFOB].
He is however still active in the church, conducting services and chairing its synodal commission on dogmatics and current affairs.
Mr Bam also holds the Diploma in Business Administration, 1st Class, from Executive Education, Cape Town, as well as a Diploma in Public Relations from the Centre for Management Development, Cape Town.
His involvement in blindness issues extends to all aspects of the world of the blind.
He served as Chairperson of the management board member of the Haven Night Shelter Welfare Organisation providing nineteen shelters in the Western Cape.
He is chairperson of the Greater Cape Town Civic Alliance an organistion of 160 community based organisation and environmental groups.
He currently serves as Chairperson of the Princess Vlei Forum, comprising various interest groups involved in heritage, culture and environmental protection.
As the Executive Director of LOFOB he was personally responsible for the establishment of a new hostel in Grassy Park for 52 blind men.
Under his guidance a Work Centre creating employment for over 120 blind people.. This Centre also provided some job opportunities for unemployed people.
He was invited to become a trustee of Disability Employment Concerns, an empowerment of disabled people investment group, an organisation funding the building of schools where the State cannot do so.
Under his able direction a community-based rehabilitation programme was established for low ability blind people. He also established the Early Childhood Development programme for blind toddlers at LOFOB
He is considered to have expertise in the field of organisational development and management as well as fundraising .
He was the recipient of many various appreciation awards from community organisations. He was named a MELVYN JONES FELLOW which is the highest international recognition afforded by Lions International for humanitarian service.
- Colonel Profesor Jan Talar
Colonel prof. Jan Talar is a doctor and medical specialist for coma.He has been awakening coma patients for 40 years, even those with brain stem damage. Thanks to the methods used by him, they don’t only regain consciousness but also return to their normal lifes. Many of his patients finished higher education later on.He is the creator of the Department of Rehabilitation at the Medical College of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Bydgoszcz.Professor Talar, using modern methods of physiotherapy , psychotherapy , speech therapy, helps patients after severe trauma , motor organs injuries, spinal cord injuries , extensive brain damage or impaired consciousness.Professor’s goal is to change the definition of brain stem death to avoid cases of organ harvesting from living people, which unfortunately is increasingly common procedure.His attitude raises many controversies and causes attacks towards him, mostly coming from transplant specialists. His lonely struggle against the incorrect definition of death aroused great respect and appreciation for his actions.
- „Pomóż Im” Foundation
The “Pomóż im” (“Help them”) Foundation is involved in activities supporting the treatment of children. The main goal of the foundation is to create conditions that ensure comfort to children.
Foundation organises at clinic special rooms for parents who need to stay with their children at all times as well as special rehabilitation camps.Foundation also implemented home care formula which is based on the fact, that young patients are staying in their homes, surrounded by the loved ones. Doctors and nurses regularly visit their patients.The hospice takes care of dozens of terminally ill children.Children are provided with medical and nursing care , rehabilitation , psychological, as well as medicines, medical equipment and rehabilitation equipment .Every year, the whole team takes over 6 thousand visits to the homes of young patients, travelling about 240 thousand kilometers, corresponding to six laps around the earth 's equator.
- PRAWOSŁAWNY OŚRODEK MIŁOSIERDZIA
Diecezji Białostocko -Gdańskiej ELEOS
(Orthodox Center of Mercy at Diocese of Bialystok-Gdansk ELEOS)
ELEOS’ activity is mainly focused around helping the needy.
Thanks to the people of good will and volunteers, ELEOS opened free Socio-therapeutic Community Centres in which children from poor or pathological families may worthily spend time after school.
The clubs organize educational and developmental activities , as well as individual therapies and help children with their homework. Very often it’s the only opportunity for children to eat a meal during a day. Trips for children are organized during the school holidays .
ELEOS also established nursing homes, which are helping the elderly, sick or disabled.
Since 2002, in Bialystok there is a eating place that feeds poor and homeless people.
ELEOS also organizes Christmas Eve and Easter breakfast for lonely people, the homeless and the poor. The Centre also provides material and financial aid to the poorest people.