Hringfarinn fund allocates over 45 million krónur to youth projects

The Hringfarinn Support Fund has allocated more than 45 million krónur to projects for children and young people, mbl.is reports. The fund was established by Kristján Gíslason and his wife, Ásdís Rósa Baldursdóttir, who donate all income from Hringfarinn books and documentary series to it while paying production costs themselves.

The fund’s latest contribution is eight million krónur to the Ingvi Sveinsson Football Fund, which supports youth football at Þróttur, a sports club.

The project began after Kristján travelled around the world alone by motorcycle in 2014 and 2015. He visited 35 countries across five continents in just over 10 months, covering about 48,000 kilometres. He returned with photographs, video and more than 500 pages of diary entries.

Kristján asked writer Helga Guðrún Johnson to write a book about the journey. When his friend Gréta Ingþórsdóttir proofread it, she felt it should be shared with the public. Kristján, however, was concerned that the people in his photographs had agreed to be photographed but not necessarily to have their images sold in a book. The couple decided to establish a fund and direct the proceeds to charitable work.

They initially planned to make a single three-part series about the journey. The project has since grown to seven series and 19 episodes. Income from two books and documentary episodes bought by RÚV goes to the fund. The couple cover all production costs themselves and volunteer their time. Kristján has also given nearly 200 talks, where he sells the books, which are also available in bookshops.

At first, the fund focused solely on preventing substance use among children and young people in Iceland. Its first project supported people who had faced addiction and were making television programmes with a prevention message.

The couple said their work with young people facing addiction and their families affected them deeply. They later decided to put more emphasis on constructive activities, including scouting, chess and sports clubs, which they see as helping young people build confidence, empathy and social participation.

After Kristján travelled in Africa, the fund also began supporting education for African children through the Broskallaverkefnið, or Smile project, founded by University of Iceland professor Gunnar Stefánsson.

The couple require that grants go to projects for children and young people, rather than general operating costs. In partnership with the Icelandic Chess Federation and Þróttur, they have established the Helgi Árnason Chess Fund and the Ingvi Sveinsson Football Fund to honour people they consider role models for their selfless work.