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Viki first came to Bátor Tábor as a child. Today, she returns as a volunteer, helping other children experience the special world where she once discovered that nothing is impossible.
It’s a little difficult for me to put into words what Bátor Tábor is like. Perhaps my father’s words describe it best: “I couldn’t imagine that a place like this still existed in the world.”
I was very young when I first came to camp, but I still remember the zipline, the giant swing, my first volunteer friends, Petra the horse, Fabatka, Farabella and the camp dances. I could never make it through the camp song without crying: as soon as the first notes begin, I remember how much being part of Bátor Tábor means to me.
To me, camp is a burst of colour, a bomb of smiles, humour, and a place where I know I can truly be myself. Camp is my protective shield. Because of my illness, I often missed out on games, sports and running around with others in the “outside world”. That was never the case at camp. There were many children like me. I didn’t feel alone, and I didn’t feel limited by my illness.
Camp wasn’t like the “outside world”. Everything works so differently here. And precisely because it is so different, it is impossible to put into words. You have to experience it. Here, there is no such thing as impossible. There were so many activities in a single day that I didn’t even think about my illness.
At first, it felt very strange to return to camp as a volunteer after having been a camper. Can I go through the red stop-sign doors? Am I now allowed to do so? Can I see the therapeutic recreation behind the scenes? I felt a little like I was an undercover agent. During learnin about therapeutic recreation, I had so many “Oh, so that’s why!” moments. I simply call it Bátor Tábor magic.
I had already decided as a camper that I wanted to become a volunteer. I always thought that I wanted to pass on to other children what I had received from camp. I wanted them to experience all the wonderful things that make me call Bátor Tábor my home.
While 1% may seem like a small contribution on its own, together these donations make a significant difference. They are an important part of making it possible for our programs to reach children living with serious illnesses and their families – at camp, in hospitals and beyond.
This is a special year for us: Bátor Tábor is celebrating its 25th anniversary. For a quarter of a century, we have been working to help children living with serious illnesses and their families experience the power of community, meaningful experiences and courage. And throughout these 25 years, we have always relied on a community that believes in what we do.
This year’s 1% donations are another reminder of what we can achieve together. Small contributions add up: each donation can help create new experiences, connections and moments that matter.
Thank you to everyone who chose to support Bátor Tábor this year!
We held five summer camp sessions this year: camps for children aged 7–13 and young people aged 14–18, as well as two Sibling Camps, where children living with serious illness could attend camp together with their healthy siblings. We also held our Slovak–Czech International Family Camp, where family members could enjoy meaningful experiences both together and separately.
This summer, Bátor Tábor welcomed its 15,000th camper. This milestone is particularly important to us, as our very first camp welcomed just 35 children in 2001, 25 years ago.
In this, the 25th anniversary year of Bátor Tábor, we can celebrate both the journey we have taken together and everything that still lies ahead. One thing, however, has not changed: we continue to work to give children living with serious illness and their families experiences that give them strength to face the challenges of everyday life.
Summer may be over, but the experiences and the work we share continue. We are already preparing for our autumn family camps, while our School Outreacg Program is getting ready for the new school year, bringing the Bátor Tábor experience into classrooms as well. Meanwhile, volunteers in our GO! Program continue to bring healing moments to hospital beds and into people’s homes through their screens.
The stories of Bátor Tábor have one experience in common: there is room for every emotion – for pain and uncertainty just as much as for joy and laughter. For many campers, this safe and accepting environment is the first place where they find a genuine source of support in dealing with difficult experiences.
Again and again, the same shared experience emerges from the stories of Bátor Tábor – regardless of whether they are about children, teenagers or parents, and whether they speak about illness, loss or starting over. It is this: there is room for every emotion at camp. There is no need to hide fear, pain or uncertainty, just as there is freedom to experience relief, laughter and joy. This sense of wholeness is often what gives campers a genuine source of support for the first time.
Many arrive at camp having experienced illness as a constant burden that has shaped their everyday lives, requiring continuous attention, planning and discipline. The family of Zádor, a young boy living with diabetes, also shared how much sacrifice and constant readiness everyday life with the illness can require. But camp gave them a source of support and helped them feel that they did not have to face these situations alone.
For teenagers, living with a chronic illness often comes with the feeling – already familiar to many of them – of standing apart from their peers. At camp, however, many experience for the first time what it feels like not to have to explain themselves, because everyone understands. Zsó put it this way: “Life rushes by, and sometimes we get lost in the world. And we, the lost ones, are together at camp. We don’t hurt each other, we accept each other, no matter what the other person is like.”
The experience of belonging somewhere deeply affects not only children but parents as well. Elízia’s mother recalled her first camp experience: “When we found out about the illness, life suddenly came to a halt. But at camp, we didn’t feel as though we were missing out on something. There, we could finally feel like a normal family.” This sentence captures for many families the transition from a feeling of isolation to a sense of belonging to a community.
The experiences shared at our Lélekmadár Camp leave a deep impression on participants. Here, they can experience how pain and joy can exist side by side:
“You could truly experience any emotion there, and it was completely natural. In that respect, it was incredibly liberating. Like a rollercoaster: one minute we were crying, the next we were laughing. And everyone I spoke to there said that, emotionally, this was the best thing that could have happened to us,” Melinda, a mother of two, whose son Marci is no longer with us, recalled in an article by 444.
The community of people with shared experiences and the safe framework of the camp help participants look at their own situation from a new perspective. Margita spoke about this to a journalist from WMN: “In that supportive environment, I experienced very strong emotions, and I learned a lot about how to connect more consciously with my own feelings and those of others. That was when I truly understood how valuable what I was able to give had been, and that brought me genuine joy.”
Hearing stories like these is not always easy, but they can give strength to others, because they are not only about loss and hardship. They are also about strength, courage, the fact that it is okay to ask for help, and the possibility of finding support by listening to one another.
Detti also spoke about this to 24.hu: “If even one person can relate to what we have been through, or finds a sentence in the article that can serve as a source of support, I am already happy. I would encourage others who have gone through something similar to dare to ask for help, whether that means joining a Facebook group, seeing a psychologist or attending the Lélekmadár Camp. I don’t think trauma has to be processed alone. I believe this is even more important to remember on Mother’s Day.”
The experiences people have at Bátor Tábor therefore do not end on the final day of camp. For many, they provide confidence, courage and strength for everyday life, and continue to shape how they think about illness, loss and community in the long term. Ultimately, the shared message of these stories always leads back to the same place: a burden shared is a burden made lighter, and the experience of belonging can change the way we relate to life.
The Bátor Tábor community has welcomed another committed ambassador: Gundel Takács Gábor, television presenter, has joined the organisation as an ambassador for the Bátorítók – Bátor Tábor’s community of regular donors.
Gábor has been a regular donor and supporter of Bátor Tábor for six years. Taking on the role of ambassador was a natural step for him, rooted in personal belief and commitment.
“I joined Bátor Tábor because we can only live in this world if we come together and help one another. Because this is also my way of giving thanks to God that my three children have grown up healthy. Because I know that my support truly reaches those who need it. Because I myself have been to the camp, and that experience lifted me up, recharged me and gave me faith. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to help,” Gábor said.
For us, it is a great joy and honour that, as an ambassador, Gábor is helping to further strengthen the solidarity that makes it possible for all our programmes to be provided free of charge to every participant.
One of the greatest challenges nonprofit organizations face is not a lack of intention or dedication, but a lack of predictability. An organization can only operate effectively, responsibly, and with a long-term mindset if it can rely not just on occasional donations, but on steady, recurring support. But what does this look like in practice—and why is it so essential for both the cause and the donor?
Predictability as an operational foundation
Regular donations create financial stability. They allow an organization to plan ahead instead of constantly applying band-aid solutions: to launch programs, hire professionals, maintain infrastructure, and deliver consistent quality for the people they serve. These monthly donations don’t have to be big amounts. When many people contribute, even smaller amounts can add up to a meaningful impact. Yet experience shows that relatively few are willing to commit to support an organization over the long term.
In Hungary, charitable giving is still often impulsive—if it happens at all. According to a 2023 survey by NIOK, 29% of respondents had not donated at all in the previous year, and 16% had donated only once. Regular donors make up only 11% of respondents. Motivations for donating vary widely: personal connection, trust in the organization, current social issues, or religious and value-based beliefs can all play a role. At the same time, 54% of respondents said that donating makes them feel like a better person and that they are helping make the world a better place.
Giving as an investment
Regular donations can also be understood as a form of investment—not measured in financial returns, but in social value: it is referred as social return in international literature.
When someone supports a cause on a monthly basis, they are investing in predictability, stability, and long-term impact. This is what enables nonprofits to plan, grow, and create lasting change. That is the real difference. A better society is not built overnight, but through many small, consistent decisions. One of the most powerful being the choice to say, again and again: what happens tomorrow matters to me.
What kind of impact can a small monthly donation make?
Many people assume that 1,000 HUF per month is too little to make a real difference. But when many small contributions come together, they create substantial, tangible support.
Consider a simple example:
If 50 people support Bátor Tábor with 100 HUF per day, that adds up to nearly 1.8 million HUF over a year. At Bátor Tábor, this amount could, for example:
- Cover the full annual maintenance cost of the high ropes course accessible to children using wheelchairs,
- Ensure equipment maintenance and safety inspections,
- Provide volunteers with the training and expertise required to operate it safely.
This kind of predictability is what creates real impact—not a one-time donation, but ongoing presence and long-term support.
Common misconceptions about recurring donations
“I can’t afford it.”
Recurring support is not about large sums. Even 1,000–2,000 HUF per month matters—especially when many people participate. Small amounts add up and create a stable foundation.
“It’s hard to cancel once I start.”
Modern donation systems are flexible. The amount can be modified or the donation canceled at any time.
“I’m not sure where the money actually goes.”
For a transparent, professional organization, accountability is a core value. Each year, Bátor Tábor publishes an annual report detailing how donations support programs, equipment, and operations, offering insight into how the organization works.
Why this matters for decision-makers?
Predictable support is not only an emotional decision—it is a strategic one. For corporate leaders, HR and CSR decision-makers, it is especially valuable when an organization:
Operates with stability,
Demonstrates long-term impact,
Works with transparent financial and professional structures,
Thinks in terms of partnership rather than one-time sponsorship.
In this sense, recurring support is an investment in a well-functioning social system.
More than a just a donation: a partnership
Predictable support is not just a financial matter—it is a sign of trust. It shows that the donor believes in the organization’s mission, operations, and long-term impact.
For Bátor Tábor, this means children are safe, programs are plannable, and camps can remain completely free of charge. It is a guarantee that new brave moments can be created year after year.
For regular donors, we have created a dedicated community where they can see exactly how their contributions are used, what programs have been implemented, and what Bátor Tábor is planning for the future. Anyone can join the “Bátorítók365” recurring donor community—even with a contribution of just 100 HUF per day.
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Megnyitotta kapuit a Digitális Bátor Tábor
Áprilisban kezdtük el építeni digitális táborunkat. Azóta szervezünk online, interaktív foglalkozásokat súlyosan beteg...
Megnyitotta kapuit
Áprilisban kezdtük el építeni digitális táborunkat. Azóta szervezünk online, interaktív foglalkozásokat súlyosan beteg...
Megnyitotta kapuit a Digitális Bátor Tábor
Áprilisban kezdtük el építeni digitális táborunkat.
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We change lives.
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