In 2019, the rank of our teachers and mentors expanded to include musician and producer Pavel Justich, who set to work with incredible vigor and dedication. He started by creating videos for children and the elderly, which we posted on our C4C YouTube channel during the months of the strictest measures against the spread of the epidemic of CORONA virus. But that’s not the end of it.
As the measures liberated, he approached several seniors’ homes with the idea of outdoor concerts. They met with such a success that we decided to dedicate a whole article to Pavel – not only to write about everything he does and how much energy and time he devotes to children and seniors, but also to acquaint you with his life journey, which was not an easy one, but maybe thanks to this we now have an admirable and amazing man as part of the C4C team.
Meet Pavel Justich – a few word penned by him:
I was born in December 1964 and from birth I grew up in an infant institution and, subsequently, in children’s homes. For political reasons, I did not have the opportunity to live in a normal family until the 1970s, when I was placed in a foster family. My foster parents raised me and gave me the opportunity to live like in my own family. Perhaps that is why I always approached life with great joy and I had a positive relationship with all my loved ones and friends. After two years of military service, I got married and had six children of my own. Then my wife Lenka and I decided to follow the example of my foster parents, and we raised another six children in our own foster care. We now have one girl in a foster care at home and one of our own.
Since 1990 I have worked as a pedagogical worker in the House of Children and subsequently, in 1995, I founded my own trade in the field of music production. I still work in this industry. All this time I have been focused on music entertainment and educational programs for children and youth (www.solasido.cz), although it is not always easy to manage in this field.
From time to time, at the end of the year, I organized a concert for children in children’s homes at Advent time. I am aware that these facilities do not have a lot of money, so I usually organized the production only for transport expenses.
In May 2019, the C4C organization asked me if I would be interested in mentoring children in children´s homes. Although I got children´s attention in an unusual way, the management of homes did not show interest in further similar events.
Then the coronavirus crisis came, and C4C came up with the idea of helping seniors in enclosed homes. Thus the concept of “Concerts in the windows” was born.
After the first performance of this concert at the Home in Sedlčany, I understood with great enthusiasm and joy that this is the right place for me, where my work has amazing results. After the program, the seniors surrounded me to thank me a lot and asked when they could look forward to the next concert. There was a sense of joy and hope in their eyes.
During the next performances, I realized that just an eye contact and talking and singing are very rare moments for these people. Some seniors in wheelchairs even listened for more than 3 hours.
After the success in Sedlčany, where I saw that I help people not only mentally, but there is also a certain educational aspect of my visits, I offered a similar program to more facilities. With the great support of the town of Mirovice, regular visits to the nursing home began – the first concert to the memory of Petr Novák took place here, which we used also to train the memory of seniors. They gladly supplemented me with answers to simple questions, such as the life of this famous singer of the seventies.
My subsequent program, the presentation and the film “Rough, tender Kenya” has met with great success. Since 2016, I have been living in equatorial Africa during the winter months, where I have been dealing with the life of the local natives and filming. I currently have five documentaries and fictional stories in the archive based on real events. With these films and shows, I try to show viewers the simple life of the people who have the most valuable thing – family and lots of loyal friends. Within the following discussions, I also present a small exhibition of original items imported from Kenya. I also performed this show in the Příbram Lighthouse Home and senior home in Sedlčany.
After consulting with the staff in homes, the idea of regular visits and the vision of activation programs for elderly arose. The topic is usually up to us. I make music productions and educational programs about people’s relationships in the Third world countries. In music programs, seniors can also be involved in activities and exercises with simple rhythmic instruments. During discussions about my projects in Africa, they can renew and practice their memory. Thanks to several years of experience, I know that it really works and my shows are very successful everywhere. However, due to financial distress in homes and facilities for the elderly and disabled clients, they often cannot take place.
Thanks to the support of C4C, the situation has improved and I feel that every visit and event bring many benefits to these people. Whenever I see the happy faces of grandmothers and grandfathers, I am convinced of the meaning of what I am doing.
Now I am still waiting for the answers of other institutions that have shown interest in similar activation programs, in which I can mentor.
Activity during cooperation with C4C:
Children´s home in Zvíkov performance: June 2019
Children’s home in Písek performance: June 2019
Filming online music shows for children and seniors (C4C YouTube channel):
“Time flies with the song” and “We can sing at any age” March, April 2020
Relaxing videos with music April, May 2020
For seniors in homes “Concerts bellow the windows”
and Kenya Shows:
Home Sedlčany 30.4., 7.5., 15.5., 2.5.
Home Mirovice 13.5., 20.5., 27.5.
Author: Pavel Justich
Pavel cooperates with C4C under the Dr. Clown project, which is generously sponsored by Kaufland CR.