Ruhama Foundation represented well the Bihor County in the competition „The Best Annual Reports done by NGOs from Romania”, 7^th edition, organized by the Donors Forum Federation from Romania and sponsored by Petrom SA, by winning the most important award of the competition. The prize was handed to the chairman of Ruhama Foundation, Mr. Marian Daragiu, who emphasized in his speech the duty of the non-profit organizations to deliver annual activity reports to institutions, donors and partners, hence showing transparency and responsibility in funds spending. The awarding of prizes event took place on Tuesday, December 16^th 2008, in Bucharest, Rotterdam Room of the Golden Tullip Inn. The Master of Ceremony was Mrs. Mona Nicolici. 40 nongovernmental organizations from Romania subscribed in the competition and 9 categories of awards and special prizes have been announced.

The winners of the 7^th edition are:

• The award for the best annual report done by large size NGOs was won by Ruhama Foundation. The cheque of 1000 Euro was handed by Mr. Radu Furnica, chairman of Leadership Development Solutions,
• The award for the best annual report done by medium size NGOs was won by Hercules Association. The cheque of 800 Euro was handed by Dindar Bactali, retail director Bucharest, Raiffeisen Bank Romania,
• The award for the best annual report done by small size NGOs was won by Muscel Association for Education and Culture. The cheque of 500 Euro was handed by Mrs. Andreea Rotaru, director of Alexandrion Group Foundation,
• The award for report with best reflection of volunteering activity was won by Close To You Romania Foundation. The cheque of 500 Euro was handed by Ms. Carmen Marcu, Pro Vobis – National Volunteers Center,
• The award for report with best reflection of training activity was won by Pact Foundation and was handed by Mr. Ionut Sibian, director of Civil Society Development Foundation,
• The award One Step toward Sustainability was won by Phoenix Hope Association and was handed by Mrs. Roxana Braga, director of Eurosucces Consulting,
• The award for environmental NGOs was won by Terra Milleniul III Association and was handed by Mrs. Magdalena Stoian, on behalf of United Nations Development Program.

Also, there have been two special prizes: diploma for originality was handed by Mrs. Monica Loloiu from the EU Delegation in Romania to the Save the Danube and Delta Association. The second special prize, for corporate foundations, was handed by Mrs. Madgalena Stoian, executive director of the Romanian Donors Forum, to Vodafone Foundation Romania. The award ceremony was attended by over 90 representatives of the nongovernmental organizations, media, business sector, His Excellency Mr. Branko T. Neskovic, The Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina and His Excellency Mr. Abdelhamid Senouci Bereksi, The Ambassador of Algeria.

By launching the competition in 2002, the Romanian Donors Forum aims to support a process meant to encourage a best practice among Romanian NGOs – annual reports as instruments for transparency and responsibility.

The Annual Report of Ruhama Foundation for 2007 is available in electronic format on the organization’s website, www.ruhama.ro, in the section Reports and publications or accessing directly the link http://www.ruhama.ro/download/raport/en36.pdf.