I hope you don't mind me putting this idea forward as a topic for discussion. I read with great interest how kind hearted people are trying to help orphanages across Bulgaria, many of them on their own initiative. It occurs to me that is it time for some sort of strategy to foster support for one another? Berni and Dougie were brilliant just before Xmas in their support for the children of Novo Selo and Vidin. Their support made a real difference.

What do you think? Can the British Council help? Have they been approached in the past? The Ambassador has said 'now that Bulgaria is in the EU, the UK goverenment does not make funds available anymore'. Does anyone know different?

Look forward to hearing from you soon
whalesmc

All sounds good in principal but I think you will need to be more specific there are loads of people who are doing a lot for the orphanages and I'm sure all them would be more than happy if it could all be made easier but lets hear how ?????

I think this is a great idea that all those interested could possibly work together but geographically I don't see it being possible

The following are only a few suggestion regarding strategic thinking:

Logistics - how often are goods brought to Bulgaria without liaising with other good causes? Apart from me bringing goods for the Bulgaria Project in 2010 I am not aware of other causes working together. I have Mercedes 7.5 t lorry sat doing nothing for almost 9 months of the year. It could be used to support other needs.

Knowledge and experience - I am a beginner in this field but I could learn from the mistakes and success of other people. What do young children in an Orphanage really want? Is it surrogate 'babas' to help guide them and mentor them whilst they grow up? This is happening at one orphanage that I know of. What are the pitfalls to look out for? What precautions should you take when donating items to an orphanage?

Collaboration - Bernie and Dougie were brilliant just before Xmas. In a short space of time they had gathered a great deal of goods for the children in Vidin. I too have friends supporting my efforts in Peterborough. Hopefully, as a result of my visit to Peterborough to collect items and realising just how close they are to one another, they will get together and discuss how they might be able to work together.

Priorities and focus - The Novo Selo Children's Home is fairly well off. Over the past two years I have made significant donations. I also know that they have received donations from other sources. It is possible that they do not require as much support as other homes in Bulgaria. If we worked together, goods offered to me could be passed onto a more needy cause.

Donations - Apart from the usual donations of clothes and toys, as a result of my history in the UK I am lucky to be offered at times, computers with monitors and occasionally musical instruments. I have distributed computers to meet many needs. It is possible that these could be distributed elsewhere to meet other needs.

I know that moving these products around Bulgaria will be difficult. However, buses from Vidin go all over the place. Buses usually carry items (like DHL the courier) for many businesses between Sofia and Vidin. It is possible that items can be boxed up and shipped to other parts of Bulgaria using this method.

A local woman once told me that children who live in Orphanages / Children's Homes are well catered for. They have three meals a day, warm water, good toilets, advisers, guidance and clean clothes. I looked astonished when she told me this. However, when she told me that the real problem was those children who live in families in poverty living in tumbled down houses, I realised that she was possibly right in her thoughts.

Many of us are trying to help the children of Bulgaria. If this is our aim, it does not matter where they are, as long as well help a child.

Many people focus on young by giving them clothes, bedding, food and toys. This is not a fault, we are doing the same. However, when these same children reach the age of 18 they are asked to leave their home without the necessary skills to gain employment. At the moment this is a failure in the system both strategically and socially. If successful, Novo Selo could be a national centre in which children from Children's Homes / Orphanages across Bulgaria can come to train to be chefs, bakers, pastry chefs or restaurant and bar staff.

These are only my thoughts but if this starts a coordinated approach to helping others they may be useful

Mick

There are a lot of points here Mick, I thought your truck was up for sale? in which case it wouldn't really be a reliable sauce of transport, I agree with your point about making sure the goods that are donated goto the places where its needed most but this will always be down to opinion? Moving donations around Bulgaria is difficult if you operate from the uk and how could this be done with no central distibution point ?

Whalesmc wrote:

A local woman once told me that children who live in Orphanages / Children's Homes are well catered for. They have three meals a day, warm water, good toilets, advisers, guidance and clean clothes. I looked astonished when she told me this. However, when she told me that the real problem was those children who live in families in poverty living in tumbled down houses, I realised that she was possibly right in her thoughts.

Again here I would say this is only the opinion of an individual who dosen't know of the issues that all the ophanages are facing

Many of us are trying to help the children of Bulgaria. If this is our aim, it does not matter where they are, as long as well help a child.

Many people focus on young by giving them clothes, bedding, food and toys. This is not a fault, we are doing the same. However, when these same children reach the age of 18 they are asked to leave their home without the necessary skills to gain employment. At the moment this is a failure in the system both strategically and socially. If successful, Novo Selo could be a national centre in which children from Children's Homes / Orphanages across Bulgaria can come to train to be chefs, bakers, pastry chefs or restaurant and bar staff.

This will not apply to all the children some of the children will choose other careers, so I'm not quite sure that this will help a global problem in Bulgaria

I can see what Scott is saying there does look like a lot of complications that would need to be sorted out and again this would be very difficult with all of you all over the world I can not see how this could begin to work for that reason sorry if it seems negative but that's how I see it. I think you need to rethink this idea and start again.

Sounds like a bit of a tall order this but it could work only with a lot of work and communication though which is something that doesn't seem to happen in Bg so I think you will have your work cut out to get this off the ground on this forum alone I think there is something like 6 people supporting orphanages and then you have all the others on other forum and then there are those who don't use the forums so how will they get to know whats going on .

hello all
In answer to the point about children in children's homes the lady is a social worker working the Vidin region. With her experience I hope she knows what she is talking about. Having visited 3 children's homes in BG (Novo Selo, Vidin and Plevin) it would appear that they have more than some of the gypsy families I have seen on my travels.

In answer to the point about not all youngsters want to be chefs or bakers or restaurant staff. I fully understand. However, once established Novo Selo will only be for those who wish to be there.

My thoughts are only an idea. If it is felt that it is a 'tall order' and communications would not work then so be it. However, even some of the simple experiences could be shared.

Thank you for the contributions so far.

Whalesmc wrote:

hello all
In answer to the point about children in children's homes the lady is a social worker working the Vidin region. With her experience I hope she knows what she is talking about. Having visited 3 children's homes in BG (Novo Selo, Vidin and Plevin) it would appear that they have more than some of the gypsy families I have seen on my travels.

In answer to the point about not all youngsters want to be chefs or bakers or restaurant staff. I fully understand. However, once established Novo Selo will only be for those who wish to be there.

My thoughts are only an idea. If it is felt that it is a 'tall order' and communications would not work then so be it. However, even some of the simple experiences could be shared.

Thank you for the contributions so far.

HI MIck I see what your saying but can I just say that the lady who works in Vidin can not possible know about all the orphanages in Bulgaria and their needs if you look on the forum you will see a full list and I would say that its impossible for anyone to be able to say "
she knows what she is talking about"
with so many and lets not forget that depending on where you are in Bulgaria will depend on the criteria thats applied in all aspects so with all due respect I have to disagree that this lady would know about all the needs.

AS for Gypsy families you have to ask your self this question Did the children ask to be abandoned? and as far as the Gypsies are concerned they choose the life they live and that life is past onto their children and its been like this for generations and I believe it will continue along that route for a good many years to come.

What I think could work is communication and logistics between all those who support all the different charities as you say last year you were in the UK and Berni arranged for you to collect various goods that you then distributed how you felt best so that worked out well, but unfortunately there are those who support these places but don't want to help others so I don't know how this can be overcome, I know this forum will work hard to help any charity and also work with other forums but there are forums out there with supporters who won't work with other forums unfortunately these forum I call very insecure!!! so there you are that my 2 penneth for now but overall a good idea if you can all get it to work

Hi Guys

Just to say I have read the comments and will respond when I have a little more time - right now snowed under and have to work extra hours at work to get the day off for the booksale.

Berni

Good idea but I don't know how it could work but I do think what bigsavak has said makes sense whatever happens so long as the children in the orphanages don't suffer I'm all for anything that can help