Awards and Recognition from the “Good Citizen” and Public Sector:  
Left to right, President of the Estonian Parliament Eiki Nestor, Chairman and Co-Founder of Village of Hope Märt Vähi, Executive Director of Village of Hope Raiman Kukk, and Executive Director of the National Foundation of Civil Society Agu Laius.  The award presented was recognized by the Estonian Government and Estonian Civil Society for the  Village of Hope being the “National Non-Profit Organization of the Year in Estonia.”

The National Civil Society chose the Village of Hope from over 100 nominees. In the “Good Citizen” award ceremony, in the White Hall of the Parliament, the National Parliament President and Speaker presented the recognition while Foundation of Civil Society Executive Director Agu Laius forwarded an enlarged money check for 5000 euros from the Society to the Village of Hope.

Estonian National TV Covered the Event:
During the interview by ERR TV, which was aired on the evening National News, the reporter questioned Märt Vähi in why he started the Village of Hope in the first place.

In response to the question, Märt replied: “I am a man who is a church leader and who believes in God and it was the call of God on my heart that lead me to this. Then my son Andrew came who had given his life to God after his fight with addiction and together we built the Village of Hope”.

Speeches During the Ceremony:
Raiman shared his own story in short of the fact that the Village of Hope is really about the changes that come to hopeless lives through God and what happens at the Village of Hope every day!