The foundation aims to turn sorrowful spaces into welcoming places where young patients become part of a magical world without fear or homesickness. Photo Credit: Nadace Archa Chantal via Facebook.
Brno, Oct. 2 (BD) – The Archa Chantal Foundation is celebrating its 30th anniversary. In 1993, the French actress and chanteuse Chantal Poullain decided to start helping young hospital patients, to make an often bleak medical environment more comfortable. Since then, all the foundation’s efforts have been aimed at creating a pleasant environment not only in hospitals, but also in care and treatment centres, which can have a positive effect on the psyche of sick children.
“I felt from the beginning that this was a long-term thing for me, so I am very happy that we have reached 30 years and I hope that we will continue for at least another 30 years,” said Poullain. “In my project, I value the feedback of nurses, doctors and parents, who have to experience the positive effect that a colourful world has on their children in an otherwise monotonous and uncomfortable hospital environment. When I started 30 years ago, I had to fight to bring this idea forward. So it is amazing to see that it has evolved in the only right direction and I am happy that the Foundation has participated in this very important and difficult development,” said Chantal.
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”653″ gal_title=”ARCHACHANTAL”]One of their projects, “World by the sea – FN Hradec Králové”. Photo Credit: Archa Chantal.
As in previous years, the Foundation has created a new charity calendar ‘Changes’ (PROMĚNY), which has attracted attention since its first launch in 2010. Each year the project photographer Petr Kurečka prepares a mix of attractive and interesting images themed around changes, with selected faces of Czech and Slovak celebrities who volunteer for the initiative free of charge. That is why the PROMĚNY calendar has been awarded several times in the “Calendar of the Year” competition, and has become a successful charity project. The proceeds from the sale help to realise the projects of the Archa Chantal Foundation: the transformation of the paediatric wards of Czech hospitals into more comfortable spaces.
During the existence of the Foundation, Poullain has been able to help children all over the country. “Given our investment of around CZK 60 million, we have managed to realise more than 50 projects all over the country. I am happy to have been able to help in this way. But the work is not finished, we have many more projects in the pipeline and that is why I need everyone’s help,” she said.
