Estonia is Looking for a Large Family: Nominate a Candidate for the Title and 10,000 Euro Scholarship!

From today, it is possible to nominate candidates for the Large Family of the Year competition organized by the Estonian Association of Large Families, with the winning family receiving a 10,000 euro scholarship from Bigbank.

According to Aage Õunap, president of the Estonian Association of Large Families, the selection of Large Family of the Year is a long-standing tradition that has been maintained throughout the corona period and continues now despite the war in Ukraine. "Large families are the most important guarantee of any country's and nation's future. The contribution of these dedicated mothers and fathers to society is remarkable, which is why we want to value them and present them as examples to everyone," said Õunap.

According to Jonna Pechter, head of Bigbank Estonia, the purpose of the 10,000 euro scholarship provided by Bigbank to the winning family is to support children's hobbies and offer opportunities for learning and development. "The broader aim of the competition is to maintain the honor of family unity and large families, but the scholarship fund helps realize those exciting ideas and dreams, the fulfillment of which may otherwise lack funding in a large family," said Pechter.

The Large Family of the Year competition is being held for the fourteenth time this year. The competition invites all active and resourceful families with four or more children to participate. Candidates for the Large Family of the Year title can be nominated by April 12 by anyone in Estonia – the families themselves, colleagues of the large family, family members, acquaintances and friends. To do so, you need to fill out the appropriate form on the website of the Estonian Association of Large Families at this link. The Large Family of the Year will be announced at the association's family day on May 6 at Tallinn Zoo.

In last year's competition, 64 families participated and the title and 10,000 euro scholarship from Bigbank was won by a family with five children, the Kubjas family from Saaremaa. Large Family of the Year 2022 lives on Saaremaa in Kudjape, where mother Reelika Kubjas and father Margo Kubjas are raising five children: Markus (17), Anni (13), Miia (13), Ralf (7) and Ronja (7). In short, the Kubjas family is one that values active lifestyles, community care and volunteer work.

The Estonian Association of Large Families was established in 1996. The association is an umbrella organization that brings together families with three or more children and is guided by the values of promoting and supporting large families. The association's network consists of 19 regional member organizations, which include more than 3,900 families with three or more children, with a total of more than 14,000 children growing up in them.