This year, more children will go to the mountains to get fresh air
Air Quality
Governance
A special city fund will be used to send hundreds more children than last year to go the mountains to get fresh air. Eight years ago, the City established a Children’s Fund for Children at Risk of Air Pollution. During that time, its contribution to the fund has increased from five to twenty two million koruna. The purpose of the fund is to provide funds to children for stays in the mountains. Rehabilitation stays, which will run from the beginning of November 2018 until the end of April 2019, will be provided to up to 3600 children from 36 Ostrava nursery and primary schools.
“The number of children who have gone on a rehabilitation trip has exceeded twenty-one thousand since its establishment in 2010. Gradually, we increased the contribution per child to improve the quality of 14-day stays in the mountains. At the same time, I am delighted that the number of children that receive the contribution is increasing. Compared to the previous year, up to 817 more children than last year can go to the mountains”, said Deputy Mayor for the Environment Kateřina Šebestová.
The amount in the fund for this season exceeded CZK 26 million. It will allocate CZK 21,636,480 among 36 primary and nursery schools, which will allow for stays of up to 3,600 children. The difference of about CZK 4.5 million was provided as a contribution to the City Districts by the Moravian-Silesian Region.
“I also want to thank the industrial companies that have contributed to this year’s rehabilitation trips. The total contribution is CZK 855 thousand. Among the contributors are Veolia, OKK Koksovny, ArcelorMittal and BorsodChem MCHZ. I believe that companies will continue to contribute to the fund because they are money for a good thing. For the next season, we expect to receive one hundred thousand koruna from BorsodChem MCHZ and 30 thousand koruna from a natural person”, added Deputy Mayor Kateřina Šebestová.
Contributions for this season (in CZK):
- 250,000 Veolia Energie ČR, a.s.
- 100,000 OKK Koksovny, a.s.
- 400,000 ArcelorMittal Ostrava a.s.
- 105,000 BorsodChem MCHZ s.r.o.
The fund may be used to cover the cost of stays of at least 14 days in an area not affected by smog events. The funds can cover accommodation, meals, transport, accompanying programme with rehabilitation activities – especially sports, such as skiing or swimming, or salt cave treatment, and also insurance and fees. The contribution from the fund is CZK 6,000 per pupil. Meals must meet at least the standard for school meals and accommodation must meet the conditions for the stay of children in outdoor school camps. Children mostly go to the Jeseníky Mountains, the Hostýn-Vsetín Mountains and the Moravian-Silesian Beskydy Mountains.
Since its inception, the fund has supported a total of 21,283 children.