Help Petrinja Secondary School Rebuild After a Devastating Earthquake

What is our goal?

We want to raise EUR 20.000 to rebuild the Petrinja Secondary School, which was severely damaged in an earthquake of magnitude 6.4 that hit central Croatia on 29 December 2020.

The old school building situated in the centre of Petrinja is a protected cultural asset dating back to 1871. It survived both World Wars and the latest Croatian War of Independence. Unfortunately, the recent earthquake left the building in ruins.

In Petrinja and its surroundings, 2021 started in harsh conditions for many residents. In addition to the pandemic, they now had to face fear for their safety and livelihoods. The aftershocks in the area continue to this very day. Many students relocated with their families to other parts of Croatia, and teaching is currently taking place online.

But there is good news, too. Much of the school’s furniture and equipment from the demolished building has been recovered and will soon be moved to another location in the town. Teaching in person should resume soon. According to experts, the reconstruction of the old school building will take several years.

How do we want to help?

We believe in the collective power of giving. We are calling up on you, our colleagues, friends and contributors, to make a donation today. You can donate directly on this page. The funds will be traceable at all times. The organisers will report on the progress of the fundraiser on a regular basis. Once collected, the funds will be transferred directly to the account of the Petrinja Secondary School. The organisers will take no fees or compensation.

With your donation, you:

• help rebuild the only secondary school in Petrinja
• ensure continuity of teaching for its three hundred students
• let your humanness shine.

Why are we doing this?

We work as translators in the Croatian language department of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Translation (DGT). We have colleagues hailing from the affected area, and one colleague who is a former student of the Petrinja Secondary School.

Sanja used to work as a language teacher. She is a member of the DGT’s Juvenes Translatores evaluation team. Juvenes Translatores is an annual translation contest for students from secondary schools based in the EU. In 2018, the Petrinja Secondary School took part in the contest for the first time. On that occasion, the student Andrija Gorup received a special mention for his translation from English. This is a great result from the first attempt. It proves that it pays off to invest in youth and education!

Marina is a former teacher, too. As a mother of two girls, she is convinced that everyone has the right to quality education.

Education is a thing for life.

The Petrinja Secondary School participates in the European Parliament Ambassador School Programme. Currently, seven students pass the knowledge of European values and rights on to their peers.

Foreign languages are also very important at the School. Students learn English, German and Latin and regularly take part in national and international foreign language competitions. There is a mentoring system for talented students, with various programmes taught in English. We want to support the Petrinja secondary students in the current unfavourable conditions, with the eye on their future.

Every donation counts.

So please donate today. Remember to tell your colleagues and friends that you donated. Encourage them to donate, too. Let’s all be part of this success story.

It’s all about knowledge and education. It’s all about the future.

Thank you very much for your support!