Marek Ponjičan is only thirteen years old, and he has dedicated nearly half of his life to humanitarian work, selflessly providing help to the sick and vulnerable. This boy with a big heart is known not only in his hometown of Bački Petrovac but also in other parts of our country for his philanthropy.
The desire to help others, stronger than anything else, entered Marek’s heart when he was only seven years old, and since then it has only grown stronger. Every time he helps someone and eases their suffering, even for a moment, Marek feels the greatest satisfaction. On his humanitarian journey, he has the support of many, especially his mother, Mileta Palenkaš. She wholeheartedly supports him and helps him in his humanitarian mission to bring New Year’s gifts to sick children during the holidays.
This fourth year in a row, the seventh-grader from Bački Petrovac will, on the eve of New Year’s, distribute packages to young patients at the Institute for the Health Protection of Children and Youth of Vojvodina in Novi Sad, known as the Children’s Hospital. Out of a total of 230 packages, he will donate 140 to sick children, and the rest will be given to children with special needs in Bački Petrovac, Kulpin, and Bačka Palanka.
“There’s no end to his joy because, thanks to kind people, both known and unknown, who have been with him for years, he will be able to prepare 230 New Year’s packages this year, which is the largest number so far,” his mother tells us excitedly, proud of her son. “Many people already know about his actions, so they contact us themselves. There are also those who just come to our door and leave gifts. His school friends help him too.”
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In agreement with the Children’s Hospital, Marek and his mother will take the packages, and his wish is to personally deliver them and see their smiles. He would love to ensure that Santa Claus is also with them at those moments. That would mean a lot to him.
It all started back in 2018 when Marek lost his sister, then six years old. The girl was born prematurely and later spent a lot of time in the Children’s Hospital, and the tragedy that befell them and the mother’s story about those days deeply touched Marek. That’s when he firmly decided to help as much as he could.
“Then he intended to help one sick child, he asked us to bake cakes and sell them, which I immediately agreed to,” Marek’s mother tells us about her son’s beginnings in humanitarian work. “Fortunately, it turned out that this idea was good, the cakes were sold out, and the money went to the one for whom it was intended. That encouraged him to continue.”
Marek and his mother start their humanitarian mission of New Year’s packages in November. Mom and grandmother Ana are in charge of buying sweets and snacks, and then they pack them together, and the contents of each gift are the same.
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Source: Novosti, Photo: privatna arhiva / Novosti