LENA MARIA & FRIENDS FOUNDATION
collects money to help people with different disabilities with special needs worldwide.
The purpose is to engage in diaconal activities with and for persons who, because of disability, illness or age, need special help.
In collaboration with both sister organizations abroad as representatives of churches and Christian relief agencies, the Foundation wants to conduct ancillary activities consisting of assistance to disabled people in other countries.
THE BOARD
We are, from the left:
Thomas Ekman, Rut Lindmark, Patrik Vendelius, Lena Maria Vendelius, Inger Ekman, Rolf Johansson and Anna Johansson
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A LITTLE HISTORY
The Nichescu family
Several years ago I had the pleasure of helping a Romanian family – the Nichescu family. Sergiu, the head of the family, doesn’t have any arms, just like me, but our lives have looked completely different.
In 2004 and 2005, I conducted three concert tours where money was raised so that Sergiu and his family could buy their own apartment in Timisoara. This was the starting point for my Foundation.
On my tours when I go abroad, I sometimes meet people with disabilities who are in need of help. Through my fundraising foundation, I can now help more people. My mission is to help people who need help, one by one.
OUR PROJECTS
Christian care foundation for Children with Disabilities (CCD)
On my tours in Thailand, I have, through my concerts, raised money for an orphanage in Bangkok for children with various disabilities. In Thailand, it is still a great shame to have a child with a disability. It is believed that the family has bad Karma. If you choose to keep such a child, it will have difficult consequences for the whole family. Therefore, many mothers choose to abandon the child.
Lena Maria & Friends Foundation supports CCD which is run by Christian Thais, and in collaboration with hospitals and other agencies in the community, they take care of helpless children. It is a pleasure to visit the orphanage every time I am in Thailand.
You can read more about the orphanage on their website: ccdthailand.org
In 2012, I had the great pleasure of helping a boy in Uganda through my Foundation. His name is Moses Murungi and he was born with half arms and half legs. Moses went to a regular class in elementary school and has learned to write by holding the pen between his armpits. He is incredibly forward and enterprising!
His parents carried him the three km to and from school but when he grew older and heavier and they needed something to travel on. Our Foundation then bought his family a “Bodaboda”, a motorcycle to help.
Now Moses has attended the entire primary school and is now furthering his education at St. Augustine’s College in Wakiso. Our Foundation continues to support Moses by paying for his 5-year education school fee.
OUR FUTURE
My hope and longing is that my Lena Maria & Friends Foundation could be a part of making a difference in the world for many more people.
When I turned 50 in 2018, I asked for money as my birthday present to be able to make a mission trip. My friends were generous, so as soon as the pandemic has left the earth and it's possible to travel again, I will book my flight and go abroad and visit different countries and different activities around the world and see where my Foundation can help in the best way.
Oh how I long for that trip!
Here's a film about the things my Foundation has helped with:
Do you want to support my Foundation?
Use The Lena Maria & Friends Foundation’s bank account:
IBAN: SE04 1200 0000 0123 5022 3124
BIC/SWIFT: DABASESX
Danske Bank
Borgmästargränd 10
551 12 Jönköping
Sweden
Or use Paypal to donate:
