Hello, we are brothers Matiss and Oscars Barkovskis!

We are working together to help the people in Latvia. Charity Eurika was started when I, Matiss, was 14 and Oscars- 13 years of age. The idea of a charity organisation came to us by chance.

That year I was admitted to a children’s hospital with a hip inflammation and was no longer able to sit or walk.

While in the hospital, many doctors took care of me. And one day I met Dr Peteris Klava. He was very encouraging, and suggested we visit children in intensive care. I agreed and Dr Peteris Klava took me there in a wheelchair. As we saw children hurt in car accidents, burn victims and children with other serious injuries, Dr Peteris Klava told me that I should take great care of my young life. That day I saw children my age fighting for their lives and that made me think how different life could have turned out.

That night, back in my room, I was very contemplative “ Here I am in my room, OK, but there are children down the hallway fighting for their lives! And the doctors are fighting for their lives! The kids, and their families and doctors, would give everything to be healthy again.”

At that moment I was thankful for my life. And I wanted to find a way to help others. In any way I could, with medicine or equipment, but there must be a way.

A month later, I was sent home. That is when I talked to Oscars about everything that was on my mind. The younger brother is always supportive of my ideas, and we made a deal to do something. First, the idea was to save money ourselves. But later, we thought that maybe someone could donate money for the cause. We contacted a few companies, until one of them was interested in purchasing my drawing “Little Snowmen” as a greeting card. And the idea of charity cards was born!

After year one, we were able to buy equipment that repeatedly performs precision medicine dosing for injections. For instance, an infant might need 1 ml dose every hour. This equipment ensures this can be done – every hour an automatic injection.

A year later, the company that had initially bought out charity cards contacted us again with an offer. We had never imagined that charity cards would be our outlet, but we decided that as long as there is demand for our cards, we should pursue it.

In 2009, there was a lot of interest in Eurika from the national and international media. We were contacted by New York Times, Economix, Swedish and Finnish television, Norway’s biggest newspaper Aftenposten as well as  Allers. Latvian newpapers Diena, Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze as well as television networks LTV, LR, radio networks Radio Capital FM, Eiropas Hitu Radio and portal Jelgavas Vēstnesis were also paying attention.

It has been quite a few years now, and we would like to thank everyone who has supported this project, and continue to do so. Thank you for helping! Thank you for helping to realise our little dream, and the dream of all those children in hospitals around Latvia. Thank you for the joy brought to children in dire poverty with the help of your food donations!

Many thanks!