VIRTUS award for 2022
Corporate Philanthropy Award – Vega IT
Vega IT Ltd. for the Programmers for Citizens program, with which the company helped develop 15 software solutions, necessary for the work of non-profit organisations – participants in the program. Through the working hours of its employees, the company has invested significant resources to develop applications and websites that will be useful for the work of organisations dealing with providing support to children and adults with health problems, supporting education, human rights, animal and environmental protection, donating food, fighting online abuse and fighting poverty. These applications and websites will help organisations to communicate more directly with their users, provide advice and services, respond to expressed needs from their environment and collect funds for their work. In addition to improving the work of organisations, these software solutions will significantly improve and facilitate the lives of members of local communities throughout Serbia.
Award for a small and medium-sized enterprise – Bosis Ltd. Valjevo
Bosis Ltd. Valjevo for its commitment to supporting economically disadvantaged families and children with developmental disabilities in the Kolubara district. During the past year, through the Box of Goodness campaign, in cooperation with the Valjevo Red Cross and with the help of a large number of its employees who responded to the invitation to participate in the campaign, the company provided and donated aid packages in the form of clothes, food and hygiene products to economically disadvantaged families in this region. The action expanded and became a regular activity that the company organizes twice a year, trying to include a larger number of families each time. Bossis also conducted the Candy for a Friend campaign, during which children of employees distributed New Year’s packages to children with developmental disabilities and children from marginalized families, and spent time together in the Iskra creative workshop, during which they played and enjoyed sweets. Traditionally, the company has supported the holding of numerous cultural events in the city and invested over 1,500,000 dinars in all its activities last year.
Award for a long-term partnership between business and civil sector – Generali Osiguranje JSC Serbia
Company Generali Osiguranje a.d. Serbia, for four years now with the Novak Djokovic Foundation, as part of The Human Safety Net initiative, has been implementing the Support, Not Perfection program, intended to help parents, guardians and foster parents of children up to six years of age in solving everyday challenges in raising children in cities across Serbia. As part of the program, more than 600 workshops were held for over 2,300 parents, while 15 centres for parents were opened in cities throughout Serbia during the previous two years. In addition to financial support, its employees are actively involved in the company’s philanthropic activities, donating their time and funds. In the past year alone, the Global Fundraising Challenge involved 370 volunteers who scaled 14 different peaks and cleared 5 green spaces to support the family-oriented program and inspire others to donate. Every year, employees apply to be The Human Safety Net Ambassadors and dedicate an entire year to spreading this initiative among their colleagues, as well as among clients, their friends and family.
Award for individual philanthropy – Mikica Petronijević
Mikica Petronijević, an actor and independent artist from Belgrade, donated his inheritance in the form of a rural household and property to the association Glow in the Dark and organized the first Summer Inclusive Camp for children and youth on the autism spectrum, as well as for children with disabilities. Within the camp, workshops were organized with accompanying artistic content, while the expert team of psychologists and special education teachers was available to the participants throughout the camp. The camp gathered more than 600 children and provided them with space for socializing, learning, and work-occupational therapy and offered a series of activities in the special education park. After the first one was successfully organized, the second camp is planned to be held in the spring of 2023. . Mikica continues to raise funds and raise awareness about autism and the importance of inclusion and is currently engaged in the adaptation of a rural household and the establishment of a daycare centre for children and youth on the autism spectrum.
Award for young philanthropists – Đorđe Tomić
Đorđe Tomić, scout and baseball representative from Veternik, who has been doing great things in his community since he was young. Throughout the year, Đorđe takes his neighbors to medical appointments, delivers food to them, coordinates clothing collection, organizes whitewashing campaigns and gives extra math and history lessons to those who need them. As an experienced scout, Đorđe organizes camps and shares knowledge about ecology and navigating nature with the youngest. During the past year, Đorđe has been helping the work of the association of persons with disabilities, differently, by organizing creative workshops, evenings of social games, and games of table tennis and darts. He volunteers at least eight hours a day and invests his resources – money, knowledge and goodwill – in his philanthropic work. Đorđe is constantly improving and learning new trades, in order to help the members of his community even more.
Special award for individual contribution to the local community – Slobodan Vasić
Slobodan Vasić, a radio journalist from Požarevac, organizes humanitarian actions and in this way helps his fellow citizens overcome difficult moments in life, and get the necessary treatment or materials for renovating their homes. Last year, Slobodan organized humanitarian football tournaments, during which as much as 31,500 euros were collected for the treatment of fellow citizen Jasmin Milanović. For seven years, he has been successfully organizing the campaign For a New Start under an old roof, within which he provides material for the renovation of houses for socially disadvantaged families. Using his personal and professional contacts, Slobodan connects the community, encourages solidarity and helps it see its true strength. He is not only a support in difficult times, but also in good times, and thus every year he organizes an action to collect packets for little ones who are rarely recognized by the system. The entire town is involved in the action of making packets, from the oldest to the youngest, who thus have the opportunity to learn how much philanthropy enriches life.
Special award for individual contribution to poverty reduction – Sandra Tomić
Sandra Tomić, an economic technician from Veternik, who for 15 years has been trying to alleviate the consequences of poverty affecting her neighbours and fellow citizens. Sandra’s philanthropic activities are focused on the work of an association that gathers people with disabilities and enhances their free time, as well as the time of their families. Sandra organizes actions to collect clothes and shoes, basic foodstuffs, but also the redistribution of hot, cooked meals for socially disadvantaged families. Single mothers from Veternik know that they can always count on Sandra’s support because she also organizes actions to collect diapers and baby food, and every school year begins with a large action to collect school supplies, which Sandra also coordinates.
Special award for encouraging peer philanthropy – Magdalena Stanković
Magdalena Stanković from Žitorađa and a group of young people, who in a little more than a month managed to collect money for the treatment of their fellow citizen, Marija Stanković, whom they knew from school or the area, and thus showed her that she is not alone and that she will always have someone to rely on. . A group of young philanthropists spontaneously gathered with the desire to save Maria’s life; they organized a concert and six parties where money was collected for treatment, they sold t-shirts with Maria’s image, distributed donation boxes in Žitoraža and the surrounding areas, and visited all important and popular events in their district in order to collect money as quickly as possible. In their action, they included the entire community, citizens and entrepreneurs, the student parliament of the University of Niš, the students of Marija’s primary and secondary schools, as well as the local self-government. When the money for the treatment was raised in record time, Magdalena and her team sent Maria on her way to Istanbul with a song, wishing that she would return to them as soon as possible, healthy and happy.
Special award for individual contribution to animal protection – Nikola Stojković
Nikola Stojković for taking care of abandoned and neglected animals in the territory of the municipality of Srbobran. During the past year, thanks to Nikola’s involvement, more than 80 stray dogs were saved and placed in his yard, and more than 40 of them found their new home and new owners. Nikola included veterinarians from Srbobran, as well as people from outside his community, in his actions to rescue abandoned animals. Thanks to the well-known Belgrade hairdresser Aleksa Rabrenović, his action to save and adopt animals was supported by many celebrities – actresses, singers and presenters.