OMICRON electronics: Supported Projects

Bahia, Brazil

Recipient	MOC (Movimento de Organização Comunitària)
Area	Brazil
Purpose	In the north east of Brazil more than 60.000 children below fourteen years have to work in coalmines, in the Sisal industry or the brick production for their families’ income. Due to the hard work, the children get sick, can neither read nor write and have no chance to develop their own future. The organization MOC (Movimento de Organização Comunitària) has developed a complex program for this region in order to arrest the spiral of poverty. Thanks to MOC and the support of communities, the sponsorship of families, and the construction and operation of schools, thousands of children could be released from vicious conditions. The employment and exploitation of children should be prevented in the following way: the parents get paid the same amount of money that their children would earn in their job. At the same time, the parents commit themselves to sending their children to a public school as well as to an enhanced "day school”. In the day school, the children can enjoy their childhood but they are introduced as well into their rich cultural heritage of performing arts.
Support	EUR 73.000,- since 2001 With these means new school buildings for about 100 students were built in communities such as Nova Fatima, educational equipment was bought and the training of teachers and tutors financed.
Feedback	Feedback The Austrian Development Service - HORIZONT 3000 is present in the region and continuously monitors the project. The project was awarded with the World Bank Award for Civil Rights 2002.

Mirdite, Albania

Recipient	Pupils helping Pupils
Area	Albania
Video	Meine Schule (My school, available in German); Video for Windows Media Player, 4.2 MB DSL internet connection (DSL) / ISDN internet connection
Purpose	The schools in Fan – part of the Albanian province of Mirdite (in northern Albania) were left in a regrettable condition by the former communist regime. In this region, there are 15 schools where, due to the run-down conditions of the school building, meaningful instruction is no longer possible. Many school buildings have completely disintegrated, while those still standing have no washrooms or even heating. In May 1995 Paul Wohlgenannt, a committed elementary school principal from Vorarlberg, created the project "Pupils helping Pupils”. The name of the project describes it well. Almost all materials are collected by pupils from the first to the eighth grade, through various campaigns and presentations. The project has in several respects a positive outcome. The primary goal is improving the school situation in Albania by constructing new schools. Existing schools will be supplied with new or second-hand furniture in good condition and the schoolchildren will receive clothes, schoolbags, writing materials, and schoolbooks. This will guarantee that the school project, once initiated, can continue. By participating in this project, the children in our region will have the possibility to develop their social consciousness. On-going written communication between schools in Albania and our region will contribute to the understanding between the two peoples. All funds and aid goes directly, without detour or through an intermediate organization, to the place where assistance is needed. Three times per year the founder and initiator of the project travels to evaluate new projects and to ensure that donated funds and aid are used correctly. Almost 70 schools from our region (Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, and Germany) have already been persuaded to contribute to this project. The schoolchildren collect money through various initiatives, such as Bazaars, shoe-shine events, toy sales, contribution of pocket money, money earned at home, and much more.
Support	Approx. EUR 58.000, - since 2001. Omicron matched every Euro collected by schoolchildren. An OMICRON employee (Niko Mylonas) shot a film about the project in Albania. Through the presentation of this film approximately EUR 7.000, - in donations were collected.
Feedback	This contribution greatly increased the motivation of the students for the project.