It is a sorry state of affairs when, due to a crippling lack of medical supplies and equipment, a mother is forced to buy a thermometer for the hospital in which her child is being treated. But that is just one of many concerns expressed by worried parents, especially on social networking sites like Twitter, regarding the plight of the University Children’s Hospital in Riga.

Spurred on by these desperate stories of harsh privation – made all too real when her own son fell ill and received treatment there – Anda Cirule, the whl.travel local connection in Riga and owner of responsible travel agency Blueberry Travel, has decided to roll up her sleeves and join a growing gang of mothers and volunteers determined to turn around the fate of the hospital.

“Last year I visited the hospital because my son had serious health problems,” tells Anda. “The doctors were great and the kind nurses unselfishly took care of my son. He was in the section of infectious diseases. To be honest, I refused to stay there. It was so out of date! It reminded me of one of those spooky houses from horror or war movies. I signed the document saying that I’d take care of my son on my own.”

From Small Beginnings…

That’s when Anda added her voice to the social project called Lielie Bērnu slimnīcai, meaning ‘Grown-Ups for Children’. What started from humble roots as a busy discussion on Twitter has now grown into a fully-fledged campaign whose mission is to improve the lot of the kids in the hospital and, by association, the staff, who do their best to confront the challenges that come from working without adequate resources.

Lielie Bērnu slimnīcai’s ambitious plans are now already making a difference, perhaps the most ambitious of which has been renovation of the family accommodation to replace the old, depressing, dilapidated Parents’ House buildings. Other efforts target the provision of toys, furniture, office supplies, catering and whatever else is needed, as well as organising concerts and performances to boost hospital patient and staff morale.

A Call to Arms

Anda first heard about Grown-Ups for Children’ from her friend, Agnese Krievkalne, who runs a Web-design company in downtown Riga and is one of the founders of Lielie Bērnu slimnīcai.

“As a company designing websites, we decided to invest by setting up a site to inform people about the needs and ways to help the Children’s Hospital,” reports Agnese. “Our team also joins various activities organised time after time around the hospital. And we invite everyone to help as this is the right time to get united in Latvia.”

Anda duly took up the challenge and is now utilising her own company as a means to contribute to the cause: A percentage of each hotel and tour booking made through her online travel portal for Riga is donated to the Grown-Ups for Children program, although she is adamant that the project is not merely a vehicle to raise money.

“Grown-Ups for Children is neither a social institution nor marketing campaign,” she writes. “It’s not even an intermediary for collecting donations. Its main target is to inform society about the poor situation and needs of the children’s hospital. The program wants to encourage people to help by implementing projects that are not supported by the Latvian government.”

With that the aim is clear: picking up the slack where the government has fallen short.

“In spite of a desire not to involve politics in our business, we cannot ignore the present situation in Latvia,” concludes Anda. “Given the recent economic strife and political upheaval in Latvia, there is much that needs attention.”

The hope is that word will spread nationwide about the group’s efforts and act as a catalyst for others to get involved in the country’s pressing social issues. Anda’s rallying cry is persuasive: “Whether it’s financial or moral support, we can make the place better when we join hands.”

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