Sveta Marina Home for Children with Disabilities
Number of Children: 84
Ages: 6 - 18
Full sponsorship: $5,200

Sponsors Needed

Special Projects Available

Because of the desperate situation in this orphanage, a third sponsorship is really needed. Actually, we would like to combine as much sponsorship as possible to really make a difference to these children.

Sv. Marina is located in the village of Medven in the heart of the Balkan mountain range. Fully half of the children in this orphanage are completely bedridden, due to paralysis, severe epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and other medical conditions. Most are severely disabled, mentally and emotionally. They are completely unable to care for themselves and are fed only pureed food, although many are over 10 year of age. The children living in these conditions rarely survive more than 15 years. Some of the children would react well to therapy, but there is no funding available right now for additional personnel.

The other 26 children suffer from severe mental disabilities and are unable to care for themselves to any degree.

This orphanage is allocated about $1,025 per child per year from the government for medicines, food, clothing and recreation. This is outrageously insufficient funding since the orphanage must also pay for fuel, water, electricity, hygiene needs, and every other necessity out of these funds.

The staff consists of 32 workers, 22 of whom work directly with the children, divided into 3 shifts. The children desperately need more individualized care and love, but with only 6 to 7 people per shift it is impossible to provide anything but the most basic attention. Although the orphanage has petitioned for more staff positions, they have repeatedly been denied by the government.

Sveta Marina Projects

We will try to meet many of St. Marina's hygiene needs through our container shipment. However, they have many needs that cannot be met through the shipment, including heating fuel, a dryer, equipment for the medical room, and playground equipment.

• Heating fuel for one year:   $8,500
• Equipment for rehabilitation therapy: $2,300