One Heart Bulgaria

2008 Sponsors
First Sponsor: Tyler and Vicki Ginn
Second Sponsor: Best Ever Book Club

Built in the 1960s, Slaveikov is the largest orphanage in the entire Balkan region and houses up to 200 children ages 6 to 18 years old. We at One Heart Bulgaria hold a special place in our heart for the children at this orphanage as it is the worst orphanage any of our staff have personally Slaveikov orphanage

visited. The facility is dismal and depressing and the children run throughout the five floors screaming, shoving, or messing around completely unsupervised. Young and even handicapped children are bullied by other children while loners simply sit on hallway steps and keep to themselves. There is a constant shortage of staff. During one of our visits we were informed that there was only one staff person on duty overnight--to care for nearly 200 young children and teenagers!

The Slaveikov orphanage is old and extremely dilapidated. The children live in very miserable and disgusting circumstances. The plaster on the c Slaveikov Orphanage

eilings throughout the orphanage continues to deteriorate and fall off in large patches. In the children's bathrooms there are no toilet seats, toilet paper or soap and they are left uncleaned for months and months at a time (see photo gallery). It seemed the children and teenagers rarely bathed or brushed their teeth. Many of them are bed wetters and simply throw their clothes out the window. Hygiene issues like these are due to a total lack of supervision, education and support. The children's diet of plain noodles and potatoes also leaves them malnourished and unsatisfied.

One Heart Bulgaria has taken the Slaveikov orphanage

under our wing! At our first visit, we noticed the smell, the depression, the sadness, and of course a myriad of other problems, such as bedrooms with broken or no windows; filthy mattresses and bedding, or none at all; and absolutely revolting and inadequate bathrooms. With fresh determination, One Heart Bulgaria's staff of volunteers vowed to make drastic changes at this orphanage.

Chronological List of Humanitarian Aid given to Slaveikov
by One Heart Bulgaria:

In 2003, we began implementing our Sponsorship Program at Slaveikov which continues, till this day, to provide the orphans with food, medicines, bedding, hygiene supplies, detergents and help with a summer camp programs.

In 2004, sponsorships continued. 200 quilts, sewn by the Best Ever Book Club, were sent to the orphanage in our container shipment. Our first-ever intern, Chelsia Eyre Evans, was assigned to live at Slaveikov for 6 weeks during which time she helped the orphans with homework, music, and language skills. She befriended the children who came to absolutely adore and cherish the attention and love she offered. We have sent 4 more interns into Slaveikov over the past 3 years and each has been accepted as a dear friend to the orphans. The orphanage director would love to see interns coming and helping non-stop at Slaveiov. Learn more about our Internship Program.

In October of 2004, thanks to sponsors, One Heart Bulgaria was able to employ a programs director and mentor to help at Slaveikov. Children Slaveikov Orphanage

received art lessons twice a week and homework tutoring. Unfortunately, this program director moved to the USA so at this time we are seeking to fill the position again. There is a great need for special programs and activities to be developed for the children's emotional, social, and mental well-being. We hope to create other special programs in the orphanage such as drama, book clubs, sports, gardening, and traditional Bulgarian dancing. If successful drama and dance programs can be started, the orphans can be allowed to put on productions for the community which would generate revenue for the orphanage.

In 2006 One Heart Bulgaria continued helping Slaveikov through generous donations and sponsorships. We were also able to provide immunizations and flu shots to the children.

In 2007 One Heart Bulgaria replaced 48 office-size windows and 96 doors with locks in the orphans' bedrooms and bathrooms. Repairs have also been made to bathroom faucets. One Heart Bulgaria president, Deborah Gardner, visited the orphanage and spent the night in March 2007 to see the repairs and experience life there for herself. With all the new dual pane windows, the orphanage is no longer drafty and cold (temperatures can fall below zero in the winter). Most fulfilling was when the children shared their gratitude and pride over their new bedroom windows to Deborah as she walked through the halls with them. More repairs and renovations throughout the entire orphanage are needed. During her visit, Deborah also hired a full-time physician to care for the children. See photo gallery

Slaveikov Orphanage

In 2008, donations made it possible for us to purchase 2 washers and 2 dryers for this facility as well as numerous other hygiene items on a monthly basis.

If you would like to be a part of making changes at Slaveikov and helping the orphans there, please contact Sponsorship Director Donna Dushku at donna.dushku@oneheart-bg.org

P. R. Slaveikov Projects

Summer Camps
Each summer, the Slaveikov orphans are sent to summer camp for a much-needed break from the orphanage life. This serves as a very healthy respite for the children both physically and emotionally and has dramatic benefits. Last year One Heart Bulgaria sponsorship funds helped provide for the food for the 2004 summer camp. For the summer of 2005, Slaveikov will again need funding for 15-days worth of food for 168 orphans.
Costs: $3,500

Art and Drama Program
In order for us to teach art classes and set up drama productions for the children at P.R. Slaveikov, we need to have an "art budget". This will allow us to purchase the proper art supplies for their lessons and drama projects.
Costs: $1, 500

Feminine Hygiene Products
Ongoing funding is needed to supply the girls with sanitary hygiene products. We purchase these products from a factory right in Bulgaria where their hygiene products are sold for less.
Costs: $1,000/year

Textbooks
Each year, Slaveikov is in need of funding for Bulgarian textbooks for the children's schooling.
Costs: $1,700

Bulgarian Social Worker Project This orphanage desperately needs to appoint a qualified social worker to coordinate the joint activities among the orphanage and various other institutions regarding orphan admission and reintegration procedures. This is in part necessary because of the new and complex laws that govern these types of institutions.

Currently, the social workers at Slaveikov spend most of their time on paperwork, rather than with the children. The orphanage would like to hire a worker to manage all of the paperwork related to the care and socialization of the orphans, thus freeing up the other workers to spend time with the children. This kind of paperwork is absolutely necessary, because if a child does not have correct ID papers he or she is not considered a citizen and can be refused medical and other care. The specific functions of the worker would be:

To work with the lead social worker in individual cases according to the laws of child protection
To represent the orphanage in court procedures related to orphan status
To participate in preparing individual care plans for the children
To assist the orphanage education specialist in his or her planning and proposals regarding the orphans by age group
To represent the orphanage at administrative procedures involving children from the orphanage
To have direct responsibility for the preparation of ID paperwork for orphans over 14 years of age
To participate on various committees on behalf of the orphanage
To maintain contact with parents or relatives of the orphan, when such exist, and together with the orphanage psychologist, coordinate their visitation and other rights
To participate with the Police Department in searching out parents or relatives of the children in the orphanage
To be in charge of the public relations with non-governmental agencies
To assist the director in organizing the summer camps
To keep the director and board informed about any changes in the status of individual children

To contribute toward this Special Project, contact our Project Coordinator, Deborah Dushku Gardner (deborah@oneheart-bg.org).

To sponsor this orphanage, or to help out with a special project, contact our Sponsorship Director, Donna Dushku (donna.dushku@oneheart-bg.org).