Country: Netherlands

Organization: Friends of Ziburys"

Idea: To improve the quality of education in Prienai, Lithuania. When we came there first in 1998, the school-building had 40 years dealy of maintenance, and hardly any teaching- materials. By collecting still good working pc's and furniture, to be thrown away in the Netherlands, transporting it all to Prienai, we could provide in many needs. The main job now is: renovation of the building, because that also is part of promoting better education.

How do you do it: 1. We asked the director of Ziburys to give us an application for new school-furniture and teaching materials for a total amount of 25.000 euro. 2. When we got that amount by fundraising, it was used as our own part in an application for subsidy to the local Government of Prienai. They added 80% unil 135.000 euro 3. That amount we presented to the European Union in Vilnius as our own contribution in an application for EU- subsidy. They added also 80%, en then we got 675.000 euro 4. With that amount we realized fase-1 of the renovation this summer.

Innovation: We now are raising funds for phase-2, again we go for 25.000 euro. Then again we want to do the same procedures to get subsidies as described above.

Impact: Already during the works of renovation in phase-1 the teachers of Ziburys found out that the motive to study among the students increased remarkably. Students now our proud of their school, in spite of the temporary mess, and they produce better results.

Ethical Action: Not only students (650) and teachers (53) in Ziburys Gimnazija have got a better motivation, also the local government is proud about the results. Now the building is more nice, everybody takes more care that it will stay nice. The Ziburys Gimnazija now is getting ready to become a leading education centre in all the region, where also adults can come to get their certificate in evening-school.

Replication: We will use the above described path again ourselves, to realize the 2nd phase of the renovation of Ziburys. This system now also is being used more often by the local government of Prienai in other fields.

Sustainability: From now on the normal maintenance of the school-building will be taken care of by the local government of Prienai, Lithuania.

Position in the Ethics Mosaic of Solutions:

Factor: Fatalism

Principle: Enabling self-permission to change oneself or one'