I asked Vanya what dreams she has about her daughter, her family, about Bulgarians?
„Since Vyara was born I imagine that she will become a grown-up, healthy and very smart person. She deserves it! I wish I had money to make some repairs of the house to turn it into a home. Bulgarians should unite under such initiatives as “Together we can do everything.”
The first time I met Vyara and Assen’s family they were confused and very distrustful. And they were expecting a child. The child was born and instead of joy, more worries hanged over their heads. They live in an old inherited house that only consists of one room, without an indoor toilet, and a yard overgrown with weeds and trees. The family was rapidly running out of the money collected from work abroad, they could not work for a higher salary, and the child also needed financial resources. It did not take the CPD so long to begin monitoring the family and there was a certain risk for the child to be taken out of her home.
The Bulgarian Hope and homes for children team learnt of their situation of crisis and started encouraging the family in building a healthier environment for Vyara. We supported the family with food, clothes, medication, council. Assen found a job and his little daughter is growing up surrounded by lots of care he had never had as a child.
His childhood was marked by domestic violence and his father’s alcohol addiction. This has left its mark in his psyche and it seems like that he is afraid to communicate with people. Although he works, the money is not enough and he also takes loans, when at the end of 2019 he finds out that he will not be able to repay. The family decided that he would go to England for six months so that he could support his family.
When the COVID 19 pandemic spread to England, he lost his job and he could not return to Bulgaria as the banks blocked his account and the family was almost left with no income. Assen lives with friends who shelter him and so he spends five months without a steady income, without sending money to his family and without the opportunity to return to Bulgaria.
Our team permanently helped the family so the child could be healthy and had food.
Now, with the joint initiative with CEZ “Together we can do everything”, this family will not have to pay electricity bills until December, which will allow them to invest in improving their living conditions. In these times of difficulties any gesture of charity can give many children a chance to remain unaffected by a lack of funds. After a careful inspection CEZ will replace a power appliance that is not energy efficient and consumes a lot of energy.
It is by the “Together we can do everything” initiative that will reduce the next electricity bills which in the long term will help the family save money.
There is nothing more precious than seeing happy children and families. Some of them live poorly but the true love that you can see in their eyes gives us wings.
Our team believes that good examples and inspiring initiatives will change the environment we live in.
