Intro:
Being a teenager is hard, but being one out of society’s standards of normal can be lonely and confusing. We all know what its like to grow up and hide parts of ourselves just to fit in. Belgrade, like most places can be very unforgiving when it comes to alternative interests and interests out of the mainstream. But what if there was a place that kids could go to and they didn’t have to hide? What if there was a place where they could be themselves, where they could be open without judgment? Having a place like this can make a world of difference for these kids and teens.
Belgrade doesn't have many places for teens to go to and feel safe and find like minded people.We are campaigning to buy a place of our own that will be the Cultural Center Sakurabana.We have no financial support from our government here in Belgrade. We all worked several jobs for years to keep this place running and now we and the kids need your help!
Our goal here is to offer teenagers a safe haven. A place they can come to and open up, be themselves without fear of being bullied or judged, a place to learn, most importantly a place to learn tolerance towards each other. We know how valuable guidance is at that age. A lot of the teenagers that come to CC Sakurabana are from broken homes, single parent households, from families with financial issues, from difficult family situations or even have medical conditions.
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Our goal:
Due to rising real estate costs, every year once our contract runs out, we have to move. Its becoming increasingly more difficult to find places to suit our budget and fears of closing down have started to rise. Our goal is to buy a place of our own that will be the official Cultural Center so that we never have to move again or contemplate closing down.
Overhead costs monthly: $1000 (approx.) incl. rent, utilities and equipment for workshops.
Overhead costs when we own our own place: $400 (approx.) Which is a reasonably big difference.
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What we offer:
Growing up, we didn’t have a place to bring us together, to go to meet like-minded people, to talk about our interests, and we now know the value of having a place like this. We offer a sanctuary. To take their minds off their situations. To talk to people who also share alternative interests, to make new friends, to learn. A world away from their own, away from everything else. We have many activities going, from manga drawing classes, to drop in sessions, to origami workshops, cosplay workshops and much more.
Artists and cosplayers around the world have gathered to show their support.
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FAQ
Q: Where are you guys?
A: We are located in the heart of Belgrade, Serbia. A beautiful city with a mix of traditional and modern culture.
Q: How did you have the idea to start a Cultural Center?
A: We used to meet up for an hour twice a week in a room downtown to talk and share our interests and as time went on more and more of us were showing up and it dawned on us that it would be great if we had and actual center where we could not just meet up but hold workshops and learn.
Q: How will the money be used?
A:To secure the center, all of the funds will be used to buy real estate (apartment, studio, or a house), registered as the property of the nonprofit organization Sakurabana, and not a private property. This way, the culture center becomes a public home for young people, and prevents any kind of fraud.
Q: What makes Cultural Center Sakurabana so special? Why should I donate to you?
A: Sakurabana is unique. Belgrade doesn’t have anything similar to it. Growing up we didn’t have a place like this. We welcome everyone, from any background. We built everything from the ground up ourselves with almost no outside help. We worked several jobs and most of our money went towards our overhead costs (rent and utilities) and equipment for our art workshops. We know the value of having a place to go to so our aim is to keep it going for future generations. Your donation will go towards getting a place that is officially ours so that we don’t have to move and so that the future generations are sure the center will still exist.
Q: Why do you volunteer at the center?
A: We know what its like not having a place to go to get away from a bad situation or to find a friend with the same interests. Without us, these teens wouldn’t have a place either. We want to make at least a part of their lives better.
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Q: I love what you are doing! How can I help?
A: The quickest and easiest way to help us right now is support us with your generous donation! We also welcome help in many other ways as well:
-Share this page with your family and friends, including a personal message describing why the campaign is important to you!
-Use Twibbon to add a small Sakurabana support logo to your social media profile picture.
-Create your own vine, gif or sign and picture of support and submit them to us!
-Join our live event on Facebook to follow our campaign: https://www.facebook.com/events/829391947105047
Follow us on Twitter, Tumblr , Instagram and Facebook and use the #CCSakurabana hashtag to spread the word about our campaign!
Thank you!
We appreciate your support so much!
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