During the Congress of Women, which took place in Warsaw on September 11-12, the winners in the 4th round of the Olga Rok Scholarship Competition were announced. The winners were presented the scholarships by Minister of Education Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska and President of the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland Paweł Łukasiak.
Olga Rok Scholarships, financed from the endowment fund established at the initiative of her granddaughter in 2012, support personal development of women-librarians who mobilize themselves as well as others to look for new solutions and make brave efforts to improve their local communities, even if sometimes it is not easy.
The winner of the competition in the “smaller library” category was Marianna Czyżak of the Commune Public Library in Brzeźno, Kliczków branch, who received the scholarship in the amount of PLN 5,000. For 30 years she has been activating residents of Osiecznica commune to act for the benefit of their local community. When asked how many people work in the library in Kliczków, she answers without hesitation: “Me plus the whole local community.” She is the co-founder of “Our Future” Association and the “Chamber” Amateur Theater as well as the initiator of the library garden (she was awarded for these initiatives with the honorable mention in the 2nd round of Olga Rok competition).
In the “bigger library” category, the winner was Karolina Mendyk, representing Tadeusz Mikulski Dolnośląska Public Library in Wrocław. The Competition Committee awarded her a scholarship in the amount of PLN 5,000 for setting up a Book Discussion club for detained in No2 Prison in Wrocław and for her involvement in the campaign for the animal rights. The winner is planning to establish the Eco-Club in the library and empathic education workshops.
The honorable mentions went to: Monika Wilk of the Commune Public Library in Bogdaniec, Barbara Cywińska of the Municipal Public Library in Bychawa, Bożena Mateusiak of the Municipal Public Library in Wrocław and Aleksandra Sobańska of the Municipal and District Public Library in Pszczyna.
A special award founded by “New Horizons” Association was awarded to Aleksandra Wieczorek of Jan Paweł II Municipal Public Library in Opole,
More information about the winners can be found at: http://funduszewieczyste.pl/pl/modele-funduszy-wieczystych/item/6-fundusz-wieczysty-im-olgi-rok
The Competition Committee:
- Magdalena Turska – the winner of the 3rd round of the Olga Rok Competition, Commune Public Library in Kłodawa,
- Ania Rok – founder of the Olga Rok endowment,
- Sylwia Chutnik – a writer and columnist, civic leader, President of the MaMa Foundation,
- Teresa Ogrodzińska – NGO activist, President of the Comenius Foundation,
- Anna Polus – a librarian, Vice Director of the Norwid Provincial and Municipal Library in Zielona Góra,
- Beata Jasiak – a librarian, regional coordinator of the Library Development Program at Tadeusz Mikulski Dolnośląska Public Library,
- Ewa Rozkosz – a librarian, instructor, the Library of Dolnośląska Higher School,
- Rafał Kramza – President of the Information Society Development Foundation,
- Paweł Łukasiak – President of the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland,
- Joanna Lempart-Winnicka – Program Director, the Polish-American Freedom Foundation,
- Małgorzata Borowska – a journalist, instructor in the area of promotion and media contact,
- Paulina Wilk – a journalist, reporter and writer;
The Olga Rok Endowment Fund manager is the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland, which promotes the idea of endowment funds under the “We are today, tomorrow, forever” campaign. The Polish-American Freedom Foundation is the supporting partner, while the Information Society Development Foundation is the substantive partner.
