In the tradition of the festival, CinEast would like to call on your kind help to support a selected charity project. As "Women's Stories" is the theme of this year´s edition, we concentrated our research in this direction and ultimately approached a Czech non-profit and non-governmental organization "ROSA" specialising in helping women who have been victims of domestic violence.

"ROSA" was established in 1993 and, among other activities, runs a shelter catering for women with limited means who seek immediate refuge after taking one the most difficult decisions of their life - finally leaving their own home to protect themselves (and their children) from unbearable violence. This shelter is located at a secret address and provides much more than just a roof over their heads. All of its services, be it social-therapeutic, psychological or legal assistance, have one aim: help the female victims pick up the pieces during a prolonged stay and then gradually start anew.

Needless to say, ensuring maximum safety of the shelter is crucial since the ever-present fear is a major obstacle preventing the already traumatised women and children from focusing on building a better future. While there are certain security measures that have to be respected by anybody staying in the shelter, there is a limit to what can be done with insufficient funds. Please help us support this NGO in their efforts to purchase and install special security doors for this shelter to allow its residents feel 100% safe from the aggressors.

You can put your donations in one of our piggy banks which you will find in the main festival venues. They will be publicly smashed and your donations counted by volunteers present at the Cinémathèque for the last festival screening (27/10). You will also be able to support the project by purchasing the photos from the "Women's Stories" exhibition. The donations will immediately be forwarded to this NGO and you will be informed of the outcome of this charity action on the festival website.

Further information on ROSA: http://www.rosa-os.cz/ (website in Czech, see "english resume" tab in the menu, cooperation confirmation here)

Contact person: Martina Hronová, info@rosa-os.cz, azyl@rosa-os.cz, (420) 241 432 466

OUTCOME OF 2013 CHARITY PROJECT

CinEast festival-goers donated in total 503.40 EUR in the piggy banks and another 1150 EUR were raised from the sale of photos from our exhibition. CinEast asbl rounded this amount up to 2000 EUR, which is the final contribution sent to ROSA. Feel free to consult ROSA's confirmation letter. Big thanks to all who supported the project!

You can also consult photos of the purchased security door, invoices and a page from ROSA's newsletter mentioning the support of CinEast.