The annual fundraiser, which is centered on people donating money in return for having a record played on Latvian Radio 5, will run this year from December 15 to 21 and will again see disc jockeys team up with charity website Ziedot.lv, this time to provide professional assistance to children and young people who are left without proper family care, have suffered violence and other crimes, or have behavioral problems.
A 2022 report by the State Audit Office estimates that there are currently more than 10,000 young people in Latvia with behavioral problems who are absent from school for long periods, use various intoxicating substances, and have run-ins with the law. More than 36,000 or 1 in 7 children in Latvia are at risk of behavioral problems.
This year's High Five special ambassador is Kaspars Markševics, the program manager of Latvian Radio 2 and the head of the organization "Latvian Children's Support Fund", who himself spent eight years separated from his family in an orphanage:
"My path has not been easy, so I am even more convinced of how important friends, peers and someone who hears you are in adolescence. I can say from personal experience – a stable, honest and empathetic adult can help a young person who is starting to lose the meaning of life to break free, that's why this year's High Five! charity marathon is particularly important.”
As always, there will be plenty of additional events and initiatives as well as the core cash-for-music offering. This will be the tenth year of the High Five charty marathon and is organized by Latvian Radio in close cooperation with Latvian Television, public media portal LSM.lv and long-standing donation partner, charity organization Ziedot.lv.
More information: www.dodpieci.lv
