We have less mining orphans, Barborka contributes them more

Ostrava (August 25th 2011) – Thanks to the extraordinary emphasis on safety of work and certainly thanks to miner´s luck, there is constant decline of mining orphans. But North Moravian miners help them even more every year through the OKD Foundation and the Civic Association of St. Barbara. Number of children that St. Barbara is taking care of, decreased by 15 on 87, costs for direct support for education, leisure and medical care or other form of help to the families increased by 25 % to CZK 2,4 million. Association uses another money for organizing joint summer camps and events for children. It results from the annual report, published by the association on its website www.svatabarbora.cz.

Saint Barbara association is taking care of children from the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia, whose one of the parents died from an accident at work in the mining industry. “Situation of the families, where earning parent died is not easy. Thanks to help from our association, children can continue their studies, develop their talents, hobbies and interests,” explained Vladislav Sobol, OKD spoksman.

“OKD company made sure, that activities of association and help to children will be financially secured just like in 2010. Even more resources and efforts we have also invested in work safety with the goal of constant decline of children, that St. Barbara is taking care of,” says Klaus-Dieter Beck, OKD CEO.

For example, last year the association contributed to children the amount of 224 thousands CZK for tuition, 256 thousand for student´s accommodation in high school and college, 82 thousands for driving school or 224 thousands for language courses in England, which St. Barbara is organizing for its four children. St. Barbara is also contributing, to the kids from sixth grade at elementary school, to purchase a computer and partly reimburse the payments for Internet.

More and more popular are joint events, where everybody can share their experiences with living in incomplete family and get some strength to following days. For example, last year mothers and children enjoyed ski weekend in Beskydy mountains, visit of Dinopark in Doubrava or health stay in Hungarian thermal spa.

Member companies with OKD as a founder of the organization and the biggest contributor pay the costs of the Association activities. The biggest recipient from St. Barbara association is OKD Foundation. Other donors and coalminers themselves contribute to common account. Media partner of the association is communication agency R MEDIA, which published current annual report with a free of charge.

Vladislav Sobol

Chairman of Civic association Saint Barbara

OKD spokesman

telefon:            596 262 293
mobil:             725 595 417
e-mail:             vladislav.sobol@okd.cz

web:                www.svatabarbora.cz             www.okd.cz