Ashoka News 2 (114) February 2011

ASHOKA FELLOWS IN CENTRAL EUROPE

Read me...
Slawek Foundation http://www.fundacja-slawek.eu
Slawek Foundation, established by Ashoka Fellow Marek Lagodzinski
http://ashoka.org/fellows/marek_lagodzinski, took part in a project entitled Read me.... Fathers who are
serving sentences in prisons recorded a childrens fable on CD for their kids and designed covers for it
themselves. Apart from that, they have voiced-over it and digitally processed the recordings and then put
them on CDs. 30 prisoners serving sentences in Warsaw Bialoleka participated in this pilot program - they
read stories dedicated to 40 children.
Organizers hope to help the children to cope with this temporary absence of a parent, and families to
maintain their bonds. They are trying to reduce stress experienced by children whose parents are
imprisoned and to engage prisoners in the process of developing childrens imagination and education.
The whole idea comes from the British foundation Ditto, which initiates and supports international
cooperation between social organizations working in the same field in different countries. The project
Read me is based upon activities of a British organization Storybook Dads. For more information
please visit Ashoka Poland website http://poland.ashoka.org/pl/node/4020 or follow this link
http://www.storybookdads.co.uk/

Young people dont want to have children?

MaMa Foundation http://www.fundacjamama.pl
The phenomenon was commented by Ashoka Fellow in Poland, Sylwia Chutnik
http://ashoka.org/fellows/sylwia_chutnik, the head of MaMa Foundation during a TV program Good
morning TVN which was emitted on the 18th of January 2011
http://dziendobrytvn.plejada.pl/24,42804,news,1,1,mlode_pary_nie_chca_miec_dzieci,aktualnosci_detal.h
tml .
Ashokas News editors sadly noted that during the program there was no time left for Sylwias
commentary on the speech of an expert who suggested introducing a three-year paid maternity leave in
the place of developing infrastructure of nurseries and preschools. In our opinion the best thing to do is to
give parents a choice. If you would like to give us your opinion on this matter, please do so via our
facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ashoka-w-Polsce/171325732889753.

Why are anti-corruption activities in Poland hidden?

Association of Leaders of Local Civic Groups http://www.lgo.pl
Two years ago, the Prime Ministers Office published a document titled 500 days of work of Donald
Tusks government and PO-PSL coalition, dealing with a government project Anti-corruption shield.
The project was found interesting by Anti-corruption Coalition of NGOs, of which ALLCG is a member,
whose task is to monitor anti-corruption activities in Poland. Unfortunately not all questions posed through
the channel of public information have been answered. The Prime Ministers Office maintains that the
details were agreed upon during a meeting from which protocol is classified and cannot be made public.
The administrative and court struggle to bring this information into the open, has been going on for a year
now, and theres no end in sight. The Regional Administrative Court did accept the Associations
complaint, but the Prime Ministers Plenipotentiary has already announced its appeal to The Supreme
Administrative Court.

More information available in the article by Dariusz Ml http://wiadomosci.ngo.pl/wiadomosci/618025.html

Guide for midwives by Zuzana tromerov

Porodn dm u pa http://www.pdcap.cz/
Five years ago, Zuzana tromerov http://ashoka.org/fellow/2983, Ashoka Fellow in the Czech Republic,
published her first book Monost volby (Choice). It was addressed to parents who choose to bring their
child into the world outside the hospital. Last December, she published her second book a training
manual for midwives Porodni asistenka krok za krokem (Midwives Step-by-Step). Zuzana tromerov
based her book primarily on her rich experience in assisting homebirths, the lessons learned from
studying the Bachelor of Midwifery in the UK (Glasgow Caledonian University, 2007-2008) and the
knowledge gained in professional courses and seminars conducted in the years 2002-7 by German
midwife and trainer Barbara Kosfeld at Porodn dum U pa.

Bil kruh bezpe opens new centre in Ceske Budejovice

Bil kruh bezpe http://www.bkb.cz
Jan 11th, 2011: Bil kruh bezpe, the organization of Czech Ashoka Fellow Petra Vitousova
http://ashoka.org/fellow/2955, opened a new regional center in esk Budjovice. Every Tuesday at
Riegrova Street 51, between 5 pm and 8 pm expert advisers from BKB will provide comprehensive
support for victims, witnesses and survivors of crime. The Counseling Center is in constant
communication with headquarters and, if necessary, it can immediately respond to emergency calls for
assistance from the South Region of the Czech Rep. (Jihoesk kraj). More information
http://www.bkb.cz/news.php?action=showNewsarchiv

Children feeding waterfowl and wildlife

Ochrana fauny Ceske republiky http://www.ochranafauny.cz
Ochrana fauny Ceske republiky, the organization of Czech Ashoka Fellow Pavel Kek
http://ashoka.org/fellow/2948, announced a competition for children to collect dried bread that will be used
to feed wildlife in rescue stations run by Ochrana fauny CR during the winter. The competition will be
judged in two categories:
Groups (kindergartens, primary schools and clubs)
Individual.
Entries can be submitted until April 15th, 2011. More information
http://www.ochranafauny.cz/novinky.html/4_70-vyhlasujeme-soutez-ve-sberu/1

ASHOKA WORLDWIDE
Ashoka office opens in Japan
In January 2011 in Tokyo during a press conference, Ashokas activity in Japan was inaugurated along
with presentation of its representative, Kashiwa Maki, who will be supported by Nana Watanabe, the
initiator of the Japanese branch. The office in Japan is the first foothold of Ashoka activities in East Asia.
As founder and the CEO of Ashoka, Bill Drayton said: Japan has an enormous potential in shaping social
businessmen because there is no other country in the world which would have made such a big headway
in 150 years.

One of the most important programs which will be accomplished in Japan is Youth Venture, developed to
support growth of young change-makers. For more information please click here
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?mode=getarticle&file=fl20110118a1.html

Ability Awards for the first time in Spain!

Kanchi http://www.kanchi.org
This year, Ability Awards have been distributed in Spain for the first time. Ability Awards competition
shows positive influence which disabled people may have on business and recognizes those companies
which did well in this field. Its authors are Caroline Casey, an Ashoka fellow from Ireland, one of the
participants initiated by Polish Ashoka (Dis)Ability Initiative and president of Kanchi who organized the
event. Before that, these awards had only been granted in Ireland.
You dont need eyes to see. You need vision, said Caroline Casey during the ceremony in Madrid. In
spite of her blindness, she is a very successful social innovator and the leader of an organization which
breaks down barriers concerning disability.
Material about Spanish Ability Awards is available here http://www.telefonicaabilityawards.com/

AWARDS AND HONORS

Pawe ukasiak awarded with the Medal of Social Solidarity
Ashoka Fellow Pawel Lukasiak was awarded with The Medal of Social Solidarity, given by Business
Centre Club. He collected it during The Grand Gala of Polish Business Leaders on the 22nd January
2011. Congratulations!
For more information follow this link http://www.bcc.org.pl/Artykul.274.0.html?&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews
%5Btt_news%5D=2938&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=3