The IWCR organises fund-raising activities throughout the year. We need as much volunteer help as we can get. We also welcome and distribute international donations. If you would like to work directly with the Charity Committee, please contact us at board.iwcr@gmail.com

Donations can also be made directly in cash to our bank account. For details, please click here.

The Hope for Children charity is asking for our help to provide secondhand shoes (in good condition) for youngsters from problem homes, who urgently need suitable winter footwear, warm jackets, jeans and other clothes.  They also like to have second-hand bed linens and towels.

You can leave the things at Eva Sesmann's house in Jurmala or at Mariette Kraak's house in Kipsala.

Thursday 20 Oct at 12.00  I will pick up the things at Marietts house and deliver to Hope for children.

If your kids have outgrown their shoes or clothes, please contact a member of the charity committee:

Mariette Kraak, Eva Sesemann, Ina Forande or email board.iwcr@gmail.com

If you have clothing or practical items, such as pots and pans, for which you no longer have a need, the Mother Teresa Sisters will find a good home for them.

Items can be delivered on Wednesdays but it is better to call them in advance to check on times:-

Telephone:  67704869
Missionaries of Charity
Ludzas iela 6/8
Riga LV1003

Thanks to financial support from IWCR, Ludmila obtained a brand new smile and new confidence about herself and her life.

After many years of  feeling ashamed about her missing teeth and avoiding communication with people, she feels so much better now, both physically and emotionally.

She says that it feels as if a second chance in life has been given to her.  Ludmila is attending computer classes and making plans about her private and professional life in the future.

Courtesy of SOS Children's Villages

Ilja Orlov, a 15 year-old Latvian boy who was born with Cerebral Palsy and unable to walk, has received life-changing treatment.  This is thanks to the combined efforts of Palídzésim , a local charity; the Slovakian Spa Resort of Piešťany and the Slovak embassy in Riga.

Earlier this month (March) Mrs Renate Rbežniece, from the Latvian charity Palídzésim, contacted IWCR Member Adriana Krištofikova at the Slovak embassy in Riga to request urgent assistance.   The charity had successfully collected a large amount of money to send young Ilja to the Slovakian spa resort of Piešťany, where he would receive three weeks’ specialist therapy following surgery on both his legs.

However, shortly after Ilja’s arrival in Slovakia the charity realised that the monies it had raised would only cover his accommodation and that treatment would be interrupted until additional payment had been made.

Palídzésim immediately launched an urgent appeal as it did not have sufficient funds to cover the additional cost of therapy for Ilja and the boy’s family were also not in a position to pay.

As Adriana Krištofikova, from the Slovak embassy explained, this was the point at which the Slovakian embassy in Riga became involved.  “We made some telephone calls to help explain the situation to the spa resort, since both parties were experiencing language difficulties.

“Just two days later we received wonderful news. The very understanding general manager of Piešťany, Mr. Klaus Pilz, agreed that the spa resort would cover the extra cost of 792 Euro for Ilja’s therapy and so treatment could continue without delay.  It also arranged for him to stay in accommodation closer to where he received the procedures.

“You can imagine our great joy,” added Adriana.  “Slovakia is not a very large country but its’ people have very big, warm hearts and wished to take good care of this young Latvian boy.”

Palídzésim has since written letters of thanks to the Slovakian embassy, the minister of MFA in Slovakia and to general director of Slovak spa Piešťany.