The floods are considered to have been the worst natural disaster in modern Czech history.
Musical instruments were damaged at the Jan Deyl Conservatory and Secondary School, an institution which has been educating Prague’s visually-impaired children since 1910. Soroptimist clubs from all over Europe responded to the call and collected funds for replacements. A cheque was handed over at a musical performance by Jan Deyl students.
Heavy flooding returned to Central Europe in June 2009, seriously affecting Northern Moravia. In response, SI Club Prague launched their ‘Assistance to flood victims’ campaign. A kindergarten in the town of Šenov had been damaged by the rising water – the children’s cloakroom and dormitory, the laundry room and the headmaster’s office all needed repairs. Czech donors and a number of Soroptimist Clubs from abroad raised the money needed for the school’s reconstruction, with SI Germany offering a particularly generous contribution.
Just one year later, parts of Northern Bohemia were also flooded. A member of SI Club Prague living in the town of Hejnice, one of the affected areas, identified two families who required urgent assistance, and another fundraising drive was launched. The club was able to provide them with 70 000 CZK to help rebuild their lives.