Year 2016
The opening ceremony of the programme Learning by Play in CAR
On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the foundation of the organization the French Ambassador launched an educational programme Learning by Play for the Central African Republic in Palais Buquoy, which has become a flagship project of SIRIRI.
The evaluation of the pilot project
The initiators of the project Learning by Play in CAR, Ludmila Böhmová and Vojtěch Bílý went into the town of Bozoum in CAR to evaluate the pilot project. They are coming back with fantastic results when more than 80% of the first class pupils can read and write in the language sango before the end of the school year. In CAR the Czech representatives met the Minister of Education and Foreign Affairs to sanctify a new method of education. Furthermore, they met the French Ambassador in CAR Mr. Malinas who supported the project by granting the total amount of EUR 20,000. During the journey to Africa Vojtěch and Ludmila were invited to the Czech Embassy in Nigeria, where actually the Central African Republic belongs to territorially.
Preparation of new aids
SIRIRI was preparing for the September expedition of trainers to CAR for 140 Central-African teachers. A new revised edition of a primer in the language of sango was prepared, which was illustrated by an artist David Böhm and a graphic designer Adéla Svobodová. The primer was printed in a Cameroon printing house. A set of letters, which each and every primary pupil in the Czech Republic knows and they are able to create their own first words, were printed in the Czech Republic in the total amount of copies of 48,000 sets; the sets were cut and sorted by the SIRIRI volunteers with the help of American volunteers of the programme Remote Year and other friends of SIRIRI.
Ten Czechs depart for CAR
In mid-September a group of ten Czechs leaves for CAR. This group comprises eight French-speaking trainers and two visual artists – David Böhm and Jiří Franta who on the basis of the pre-discussions with the Czech educational experts and Central African teachers shall decorate the class with the wall didactic artwork.
Year 2015
SIRIRI in a documentary of the Czech Television
Czech Television broadcast a documentary on SIRIRI within the series the Czechs on Missions.
A book of the volunteer at SIRIRI on the conflict in CAR
The Portal publishing house published a book of Vojtěch Bílý and Alena Scheinostová “When mango is falling down”.
Fund-raising run Praha-Bozoum for the third time
In May, the third year of the fund-raising run Praha – Bozoum took place.
A four-member expedition to CAR and the launching of the pilot project Learning by Play in Bozoum
Four members of SIRIRI went to CAR for 2 weeks. Two of the members of the expedition – Ludmila Böhmová and Vojtěch Bílý in the cooperation with the missionary O. Aurelius Gazzera launched a pilot educational project Learning by Play in Bozoum.
The art helps
A benefit auction of works of art took place in the Gallery in Bethlehem Chapel.
The first training for teachers in the framework of the project Learning by Play in Bozoum
Ludmila Böhmová and Vojtěch Bílý left for CAR to launch a pilot project Learning by Play in Bozoum.
A Czech bishop in the centre of Africa
A Czech bishop Monsignor Václav Malý accompanied by Ludmila Böhmová and Karol Böhm visited the Central African Republic. The representatives of SIRIRI handed over historically the first modern primers in the language of sango to the teachers and children.
Year 2014
New projects
The construction of bridges in Yole and building of a well in Bangui were supported.
Tinderbox for a volunteer from SIRIRI
The founder of SIRIRI Ludmila Böhmová was awarded for her voluntary activity with a prize Tinderbox.
Fund-raising run Praha-Bozoum for the second time
We organised a second annual successful charity run, thanks to which we were able to support a number of our partners in the Central African Republic.
Vojtěch Bílý is returning from CAR
Vojtěch Bílý returned from CAR after 10 months and conveys to the public how his voluntary work of a teacher changed as a result of the civil war.
Year 2013
The construction of a hostel in CAR
Two founders of SIRIRI Karol and Ludmila Böhm went to Bozoum in the period from January to February to built a hostel for students of a secondary school.
Fund-raising run Praha-Bozoum
In May the first year of fund-raising run Praha-Bozoum took place at the Prague Ladronka. In total there were 183 runners
Documentary on SIRIRI
In June a documentary on CAR and SIRIRI was shot in CAR for the Czech Television within the cycle on the Czechs on Missions.
Departure of a volunteer to CAR
In September a volunteer Vojtěch Bílý departed for Central-African city of Bozoum to work there as teacher of biology and sports at a missionary school and work there in a day care centre for orphans for a period of one school year.
The humanitarian donations
SIRIRI sent several humanitarian donations to CAR during the year. It was a help in resolving the vast humanitarian crisis that occurred as a result of a military coup d’état. They also handed over two wheelchairs as a donation.
Year 2012
Czech doctor in CAR
In April a Czech dentist Věra Svobodová left for CAR for a period of five weeks as a volunteer at SIRIRI and she operated in the dental practice in Bozoum.
Visit of the missionaries
In June missionaries from CAR visited the Czech Republic to take part in a fund-raising concert organized by SIRIRI in the Church of Our Lady of the Snows in Prague.
Cooperation with doctors
SIRIRI initiated a cooperation with doctors directly in CAR to support the treatment of ocular defects. A generator for the eye centre in Bossangoa was purchased.
The project School for Car Mechanics.
Missionaries asked SIRIRI for their help to support a new project for a School for Car Mechanics in Baoru. In the first year 12 students applied to study a one year course, 9 students finished the school successfully with a diploma.
Year 2011
School in Bozoum
In January two founders of SIRIRI Karol and Ludmila Böhm went to CAR for a period of four months to initiate the construction of a secondary school in Bozoum. The building was completed in September, when both of the two representatives of SIRIRI took part in the finalizing works and then the opening ceremony of the school.
Lectures and meetings
SIRIRI has been represented in a total of 54 events for the public this year. The estimate says that more than 80,000 people were invited.
The sale of the T-shirts Hand in Hand
A booth offering the sale of T-shirts was presented f.e. at the festivals United Islands in Prague, Colors of Ostrava, but also in many other places.
Development Coffee
Since October 2010 SIRIRI creates a platform for informal sharing of the representatives of the people working in the field of development cooperation in the framework of the project Development Coffee. In 2011 this activity continues to develop in cooperation with FORS, it is supported by grants of the Czech Development Agency.
Year 2010
First employee of SIRIRI
In January SIRIRI was allocated historically the first grant from MFA CR to support the capacity of non-profit organizations within which the work of one of the representatives of SIRIRI – the director – was funded for the first time. The director had worked on a voluntary basis by that time as well as the whole team.
Africans marigold for Africa
At the Prague elementary schools Kladská and Hanspaulka an educational activity took place under the baton of Pavel Škopek in the form of planting the plants for Africa.
SIRIRI at CAR
In September a student of the agricultural faculty and a volunteer of SIRIRI Pavel Škopek left for five months to Africa. For a shorter expedition Jan Böhm and Terezie Böhmová followed him.
Support for SIRIRI
SIRIRI was expressed the support of the important personalities – Tomáš Sedláček, Pavel Fischer, Jan Sokol, Václav Malý and Tomáš Halík. SIRIRI started a co-operation with the Faculty of Studies of Art at Charles University.
Year 2009
Another trip to CAR
Two of the founding fathers – Karol Böhm and Marcel Drlík – made a short trip to Africa. They brought and handed over an ultrasound device to the local hospital in Bozoum. They also brought crayons and small gifts for a care centre as a gift from the pupils of the basic school Kladská; on behalf of SIRIRI, they handed over the money to the missionaries for the operating of the care centre.
New projects
Actually two new projects were approved. The first one is the financial support of the health centre in Baoro where the operation is ensured by two Italian health care professionals. The second one is the support for two students of medicine coming from the Central Africa.
Lectures on experience in the CAR
After Terezie Böhmová returned from her ten-month stay in CAR, she subsequently led a series of lectures and presentations on her experience from the territory.
Success of the project With a T-shirt for Africa
The company DELIKOMAT purchased 1,700 T-shirts for their employees and partners from SIRIRI, the t-shirts are decorated with motifs of fine artists, thereby the company supported the projects SIRIRI with the total amount of CZK 340,000.
Year 2008
Series of lectures and presentations
From February until April SIRIRI held a series of lectures, e.g. for students on the ground of the Masaryk University or in the parish of Domažlice.
Trees for Africa
SIRIRI began to support a new project Trees for Africa, which has for many years been realized by missionaries in Bangui. It provides work for the local people, teaches them to plant and process fruits and wood, it contributes to the use of the fertile soil of Central Africa and helps to restore the cleared areas of virgin forests.
First long-term mission
At the beginning of September a volunteer of SIRIRI Terezie Böhmová went to the Central African Republic. During her year stay she participated in teaching in the college in Bozoum and she worked in the day care centre for orphans in the construction and operation of which SIRIRI shows great commitment.
Year 2007
Observer status in the Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
SIRIRI won the observer status in the Czech Forum for Development Cooperation. At the same time the director of SIRIRI was appointed.
Fund-raising concert
In January we held a fund-raising concert in Prague club Rock Café to support the project of a day care centre.
Project Well for Street Children
We expanded the public collection of money intended for the project Well for Street Children; the well be drilled for the humanitarian organization Voix du Coeur in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic.
Meeting the missionary
The missionary father Aurelio Gazzera from CAR who controls the project of a day care centre in addition to his many activities, he also visited the Czech Republic and met with the representatives of SIRIRI during his stay in Europe.
Project With a T-shirt for Africa
Under the slogan “Enjoy yourself, help the others” we launched a fund-raising sale of T-shirts, the purchase of which supports the projects of SIRIRI.
Africa in Žďár nad Sázavou, Africa in Slaný
Two educational events (in April and June), which were aimed to inform the public through the form of an evening program in two regional towns with development issue and give them the awareness of shared responsibility for the issue of poor countries.
Project Glasses for Africa
There was a call for the collection of the second hand eyeglasses for the Central African Republic, which became extremely successful later on.
Year 2006
Establishment of SIRIRI o.p.s.
In April 2006 six founders established the public benefit organization SIRIRI: doctor Marcel Drlík, Carmelites O. Petr Glogar OCD and O. Anastasio Roggero OCD, a couple Ludmila and Karol Böhm and an Italian entrepreneur Michele Rinna. In sango, which is CAR’s language, SIRIRI means “peace”.
The first important implemented event took place in May under the name An Evening for Africa in the Czernin Palace, where SIRIRI publicly presented the company in front of more than 300 invited guests under the auspices of the former Minister for Foreign Affairs Cyril Svoboda.
Success in the Competition Your Help
SIRIRI won the competition of non-profit organizations and the prize in the amount of CZK 100,000 was intended for the construction of day care centre for orphans in the town of Bozoum.
First trip to CAR
Two representatives of SIRIRI went on a pilgrimage to the Central African Republic in November to hand over the amount of CZK 300,000 (about 30 % of the total cost) for the project of the day care centre in Bozoum; they also discussed the form of cooperation of SIRIRI with missionaries.