Support the publishing of the book for charity

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/truestory

Let’s support the publication of the book of short stories „True Stories from Our Practice“ by the charity “Sunray for Children”.

The charity “Sunray for Children” provides the connection, help and advice for people of Slovakian descent living in the UK. As a volunteer, I decided to publish a book of short stories in cooperation with the charity. Since the charity operates exclusively on volunteer basis, it is financially demanding to procure everything necessary for the publication of this book.

Let’s support the publication of the book together.

“Sunray for Children” is the only civic association that specializes in international cases and provides the vital advice for Slovaks in the UK in cases such as the return of minors to the country of origin of the Slovak Republic. While working within this charity, I decided to publish the book „True Stories from Our Practice“.

In the book, which you can also help me publish, there will be real stories that happened to Slovak children living abroad. You will not learn any funny stories, nor will you recognize the specific names of the people who survived the story. It is a glimpse into our environment, our work, which is about helping children and parents in their most difficult moments.

While working with Slovak mums living in the UK, I noticed that a common, although not exclusive, topic is to lose a child to the system, often not by a fault of the parents, but often the miscommunication plays a big role here, so I manage finding help at the right time for them. However, the planned book will also include short stories with happy endings, which you will be happy to read over a cup of coffee or tea.

I must thank my colleagues for creating the environment conductive to writing, my family that has endured my moods for years, and the social media platforms, thanks to which charity I volunteer for was advertised. In the book I capture the real emotions, mood and mobilization of forces to save children and their families.

I plan to publish the book in 500 copies and in a smaller format so that it can be read anywhere. For each short story, I approached an illustrator who would complete the overall atmosphere. It will also be accompanied by photographs.

How do I use your support?

As the author of the book, I do not claim any remuneration, but I need the help of professionals to print the book.

Therefore, the money from this campaign will go to language reduction, proofreading, graphic design, illustrations and printing.

In the event of any surplus after the payment of these items, the rest of the money will be used for the christening of the book public event, details of which will come later.

„The short stories were clearly created under the influence of life, to help children and parents and to help the charity which is helping them…this had a profound effect on me so that while editing them, I realized that most of them have an incredible power:

„Never give up… There is always a way!“

My motto is:

A child is a Gift, not a commodity!

The Winter suits the atmosphere of the book best, so the christening is planned in the Winter, which also makes it an excellent Christmas gift for those people who never give up.

We cooperate:

  • ISEIA
  • Ministerstvo Školstva Slovenskej Republiky
  • Úrad Slovákov žijúcich v zahraničí
  • Pedagogická fakulta Univerzity Mateja Bella v Banskej Bystrici
  • Metodické Centrum Univerzity Mateja Bella v Banskej Bystrici
  • Filozofická Fakulta Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave
  • Asociácia slovenských a českých škôl vo Veľkej Británii
  • Rádio Slovakia International
  • Ministerstvo zahraničných vecí – konzulárny odbor
  • Komisár pre deti
  • Veľvyslanectvo v Londýne
  • Veľvyslanectvo v Berlíne
  • Centrum medzinárodnej pomoci pre deti a mládež – CIPC
  • British Czech and Slovak Association (BCSA)

Autor : Dagmar Szabó

Round table meeting – A child is a GIFT, not a commodity

Round table under the title „A child is a gift, not a commodity.“

Since its inception, Luč pre Dieťa has dealt with unauthorized removals of Slovak children abroad. Our organization has been helping families in difficult life situations for a long time, such as domestic violence, children removed from their families. I am of the opinion that every child has the right to grow up in his country, in his culture in his native language. Due to my rich experience, in cooperation with the Children’s Commissariat, I invited the institutions to a joint meeting at the round table.

The Commissioner deals not only with the rights of children located on the territory of the Slovak Republic, but with all Slovak children. This also means children from families who went abroad, but kept their Slovak citizenship. Last year, our authorities provided cooperation in 128 new cases of removal of minor children from Slovak families. This is still an alarmingly high number. We must pay attention to preventive measures, especially the education of Slovaks living abroad, as well as those who are still planning to leave, so that they perceive the legislative differences of individual countries.

A strong topic that is focused on lost, or in the best case, taken away Slovak children in the social system of the countries of the current and former monarchy, or the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, simply countries where there are a large number of expatriates who live in these areas. The participants of the meeting were representatives of concerned institutions such as CIPC, UKPD, MFA SR, well-known child psychiatrist MUDr. Terézia Rosenbergerová and Iveta Galbavá, where the consular workers themselves, who had the opportunity to join the discussion online, also talked about specific cases in the given areas. As an organizer and long-time campaigner for the return of Slovak children taken abroad, Dagmar Szabó, a Slovak living in England, chairperson and founder of Lúča pre Dieťa, I pointed out specific shortcomings in the legislation, while realistically presenting how the entire process of child removal will take place in England. In many cases, withdrawals are banality from the point of view of our culture. Therefore, it is very important to know the systems of the countries in which we decide to start a family. Each country has its own system. And what powers do we have and what should we do in such a case first, all of that took place today at the Children’s Commissioner’s floor. Please address this issue, because our children can never become the object of trade…

Autor : Dagmar Szabó

FOTO: Úrad komisára pre detí

The new year 2024 started with a smile

Foto: Svetlana Martinekova- director

We started the new year with a smile. Our students enjoyed it and did not forget to set resolutions. we believe and keep our fingers crossed for them to fulfill their commitment.
We are looking forward to the next meeting. We believe that together we will learn something new and have fun at the same time.

Dagmar Szabó

Founder Dagmar Szabó, chairman of the non-profit organization Sunray for children

Family is the most important thing in my life. Children are the only thing that will remain with us forever. I have lived actively all my life and that has remained with me to this day. I cannot stand idly by as innocent children are humiliated and abused.
Years ago, I felt what powerlessness is when it comes to family life abroad. I founded A Ray for sunshine for a Child in Great Britain in 2016 based on my own experience. I transformed this organization into the Sunray for Children charity. This experience moved me in a new direction in life. I founded the non-profit organization Luč pre Dieťa in 2015 in Slovakia, thus fulfilling my wish to help vulnerable, humiliated, abused, abused children and fight for their rights.

Since then, I’ve been following a few ideas of my own, such as:
Never give up… there is always a way! A child is a GIFT, not a commodity!

Autor : Dagmar Szabo

Foto: peter@fotografujem.com

Príde Mikuláš…

Mikuláš navštívil aj našu Školu hrou v – Klobúčik-Taunton UK.

Bolo to radosti a veselosti. Náš detský Mikuláš mal aj svojich pomocníkov anjelika a nezbedného čertíka. Darčeky deťom urobili radosť, klobúčikovské perníky chutili ani omrvinky neostali. Balónové vianočné ozdoby detičky potešili.

Tešíme sa na ďalšie naše aktivity.

Autor : Dagmar Szabó

Klobúčik z Tautonu

RADIO SLOVAKIA INTERNATIONAL

Listen to Dagmar Szabó’s interview (the founder of the Klobúčik center) on Radio Slovakia International.  We were invited to share our work in Great Britan (in Taunton which is located near Bristol).

Saint Nicholas came…. 2022

Where he came from, here he came from, suddenly Saint Nicholas was with us.

Sunray for Children organized a Christmas meeting in our „Klobúčik – Škola hrou“ (A Little Hat – School through Play).

All had a lot of fun when Saint Nicholas started to hand out gifts. As a reward, children recite a poem or sang a song.

During the meeting, everyone tasted Christmas gingerbread cookies and other goodies.

We look forward to further meetings

Author: Dagmar Szabó

Komisia pre školstvo a vzdelávanie ÚSŽZ – Sekcia pre západnú Európu a zámorie

Komisia pre školstvo a vzdelávanie ÚSŽZ – Sekcia pre západnú Európu a zámorie“ met in Bratislava on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, the 8th meeting of the School Commission.

According to information from ISEIA, 1075 pupils are currently educated full-time in these centers, of which 332 children are in pre-school age, 503 are pupils in the 1st grade and 280 are pupils in the second grade of education according to Slovak system. The number of teachers in these centers is 204, of which 120 are qualified teachers with a specialised degree. 257 pupils receove the online education in these centres.

The meeting was chaired by Peter Prochácka, a Vice-President of „Úrad pre Slovákov žijúcich v zahraničí“(The Office for Slovaks Living Abroad).

Firstly he handed over the appointment decree to this section president, Jarmila Buchová from Munich, who also serves as the president of the ISEIA Association of Educational Centers (detailed information about ISEIA’s activities and projects can be seen on the www.iseia.eu‚s website).

I congratulate in this way to the Section president Jarmila Buchova and I wish her every success.

I would like to thank the coordinators of the meeting for the opportunity to attend this session, to present my  school  „Klobúčik  – Taunton UK – Škola Hrou“.

Author: Dagmar Szabó