Volunteering Day at FDDS, Warsaw, Poland

In June the design was completed. And now, in October, which is earlier than anybody expected, we are starting the implementation phase. And all this thanks to people of good will who decided to devote some of their time and energy.

On October 4, 2018, a group of over 40 people appeared at 8.30 a.m. at the FDDS therapeutic center to begin the first step of starting the garden.

We started the day with a short presentation about what the foundation (FDDS - Foundation We Give Children the Strength) basically does. When we hear that they "provide comprehensive help to abused children" it sounds so generic that it does not always makes us comprehend the size of the abuse. But when we hear that in every ten children in the classroom, three of them are abused at home, it starts to sound a little different.

I guess the biggest impression on me was made by the information that the telephone helpline 116 116 for kids is calling nonstop and the line itself is supported by eighty consultants. Eighty. It stimulates the imagination.

The second part was my few words about the project.

Everyone, in a great physical condition and in motivated spirit, with a certain dose of shyness began to inspect the square of work. As you can see the garden bed is beautifully overgrown with weeds. It was cleared, we removed weeds, stones, debris, enriching the dirt with natural fertilizer, to prepare it for spring plantings.

I decided to cover the entire bed with a pinebark chips, to protect it against the overgrowth of the weeds by spring, improve the water conditions and enrich the soil a little while it will decompose slowly during winter.

Tools are waiting...

The gals from Foundation did their best to lead their groups bravely. In the picture from the left Magda and Iza, but apart from them there was also Ula and Kasia, which were not in the picture and an unknown group of heroes of the background, whose names I had no opportunity to learn. And on the right, my humble person.

The work is on. I must admit that before the start I was a little afraid if we would be able to do everything, because at the end we were still planting 40 plants. However it was enough to look at the  spirit and motivation of working volunteers. The work was burning in her hands! And it became obvious that we can do everything...

Less and less weeds, more and more exposed soil and still a lot of work in painstaking cleaning of the earth.

Discussion about what with what, how and where ....

It seems that the stage of scattering the bark on the rebate was the nicest, or at least the merriest occupation, because as you can see the competition started in whoever lifts the most bags. In the picture above, the winner seems to be ...

The bark comes and slowly gets nicer.

This was the final result of the work of 40 people for 4 hours. Beautiful!

It was a really merry and beautiful day. Everyone worked together in a good spirit, with a smile and a willingness to help each other. Although it was not easy, because it is one of the hardest work in the garden, requiring good physical condition. We were very happy with the good weather blesssing - it did not rain, it got sunny and warm.

Thank you so much for this wonderful day, which shows what strength we have when we unite in a common goal!

I hope to see the same group in the spring when the planting comes.

I greet everyone cordially!