Hundreds of needy families will enjoy a brighter Christmas, thanks to the school’s initiatives
In this year’s solidarity campaign, Vilamoura International School (CIV) supported six social solidarity institutions, a charity association, and a solidarity project.
Nearly €7,000 were raised through the school’s Christmas Fair and food stalls organised by various classes throughout the first school term. The amount went to three charitable causes – Refeitório Social de Quarteira, Centro de Apoio aos Sem-Abrigo (CASA – Albufeira), and The Big Hand Project, each receiving cheques for €2,500, €2,200, and €1,500, respectively.
Donations raised by the school’s community also enabled three special needs families (whose children require diapers and other hygiene products on a daily basis) to receive €250 each, totaling €750. As well as supporting these families, backed by Mãozinhas Solidárias, CIV also sponsored 22 other children with gifts and basic necessities collected during its staff’s Christmas dinner.
During the Christmas Fair, food items were also collected and later delivered to Banco Solidário (an Existir project). These will be distributed among 464 citizens supported by the association in the Loulé municipality.
After a two-year hiatus, CIV revived the Shoebox Appeal project, which resulted in a donation of nearly 200 “shoeboxes” filled with gifts to Cáritas Diocesana do Algarve. The gifts will be distributed among 197 families supported by this solidarity organisation.
Furthermore, in November, several teams of students and teachers participated in the Banco Alimentar Contra a Fome food collection campaign at 143 supermarkets in the region. This initiative helped collect 140 tons of food that will support 126 social solidarity institutions, benefiting almost 24,000 people.
Because animals are also part of the family, CIV delivered to Animal Rescue Algarve (ARA), in addition to food items collected at the Christmas Fair, a cheque for €90, a sum raised during World Food Day by healthy food stalls.
Cidália Bicho, Vilamoura International School Pedagogical Director, said: “It is the involvement of students and the school community in helping others that brings to life the humanistic values of the educational project of Vilamoura International School. Volunteering and dedicating time and energy to those in need are some of the activities students participate in. The importance of involving children and young people in achieving a better, fairer, more balanced, and more humane world cannot be overstated. We are very proud of the educational community that, year after year, mobilises around values which we consider essential to our society.”
