News

June 17, 2026 · Peter Bernscherer

Ute Bock Prize awarded to Oleg Cherednychenko

Oleg has received the Ute Bock Prize – an award well-deserved for his extraordinary commitment. Oleg on our website – with video. At 82 years old, Oleg performs work every day that exceeds the scope of a full-time job. His life has been marked by many twists and turns: born in Germany, raised in Ukraine, he worked in nuclear power plants, studied IT, and was a military pilot. In 2022, he had to flee Ukraine with his wife and grandchildren. Today, he lives in a refugee shelter in Vienna – and has been tirelessly involved with the association for four years. PCs für alleAlmost every day, from 10 a.m. to 17 p.m., Oleg is on duty: He accepts donated equipment, distributes it to those in need, translates for Ukrainian refugees, accompanies them to doctor's appointments and meetings with authorities, and teaches German. This is real work – voluntary, unpaid, and done out of deep conviction. A noteworthy finding from the Ministry of Social Affairs last year is that the volunteer work of PCs für alle"It's not worth a cent," they declared there. The Ute Bock Prize sees things differently. Last year, Shaher received the award from the association. PCs für alle This award. Shaher - Ute Bock Prize 2025. Now Oleg follows – proof that the prize goes where true humanity counts. Our thanks go to the entire team of the Ute Bock Refugee Project and especially to Ms. Hudler, who made this recognition possible. Ute Bock Prize 2026. Of course, we also congratulate the other award winners: Hamdi Abdullahi Hassan, interpreter and journalist; Aziz Mohammadi, involved with “you are welcome” by Jasmin Randall, father of wonderful children, one of whose sons did an internship with us; Ibrahim Rasool, football coach, active in many clubs, who also gave an impressive speech and works as a warehouse worker for Amazon.

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June 17, 2026 · Peter Bernscherer

Election of the Austrian of the Year

Unfortunately, we didn't win, but we were nominated for the humanitarian commitment category. The winner was Judith Raunig from the Wunderwege initiative (wunderwege.at), and we warmly congratulate and thank everyone who voted for us. www.diepresse.com/events/austriagala 

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June 17, 2026 · Peter Bernscherer

Ute Bock Prize for Shaher Alyousef – A teacher who gives hope

Alyousef fled the war and spent three years with his family in a refugee camp in Atama on the Turkish-Syrian border, where he built a school for children who would otherwise have had no access to education. "We put up a few tents and just started," he says of his first steps. Today, around 1.200 children attend the school, plus a kindergarten for hundreds more. The school still exists today – with modest resources but a big heart. Since arriving in Austria, Alyousef has continued tirelessly: Just three months after his arrival, he found an apartment and a job, brought his family over, completed training as a Montessori teacher, and has since volunteered for numerous initiatives – including "Gablitz hilft" and "PCs für alle“Through video calls, he now trains teachers in Syria, keeping the educational project alive even from afar. “There are so many children who can’t read and write. We wanted to do something,” he says. His story is a testament to how much a single person can achieve – even under the most adverse circumstances. The Ute Bock Prize recognizes Alyousef’s commitment to education, humanity, and integration. The prize stands for civic courage – and Shaher Alyousef embodies exactly that. Further information about the 2025 Ute Bock Prize and the other award winners can be found on the Ute Bock Association website: www.fraubock.at – Bock Prize 2025: Exceptional Commitment. Here is another report on our website about Shaher’s commitment: Shaher and the children in the camp. If you would like to support Shaher’s passion project, Team Gablitz is here to help!” – Refugee Aid IBAN: AT03&2011&1828&5223&6800 Purpose: Food for kindergarten and school. Donations to the Gablitz Helps association are tax-deductible. Many thanks to Julia Hudler for the excellent organization of the event.  

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