In the first years of life, the child begins to build his idea of the world, of others and – most importantly – of himself. It is then that the basic question that will guide him throughout his life emerges: who am I?. Read more “Who am I? – The importance of identity in early childhood”
The success of helping others to succeed – The story of Fatme Ahmed, village of Ruen
I often ask myself what is the success of a person. Is it a one-time triumph, the achievement of a goal, or is it the ultimate reward? I think people should pursue their dreams all their lives, even when they seemingly put them on pause and devote themselves to caring for their loved ones. And maybe only then do they get a second chance to realize their cherished plans by continuing to help others, and that is the real achievement. I tell this story as a woman who has waited many years to realize her childhood dream and finally understands the meaning of success.
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8 April – International Roma Day
Today, on 8 April, we celebrate International Roma Day – a day to express our respect for Roma culture, history and contribution to society. It is also a day to reflect on the challenges Roma communities face and the opportunities we can create together. Read more “8 April – International Roma Day”
Don’t give up! – The story of Elena Dimitrova, Dalgopol
In the small town of Dalgopol, where time seemed to stand still, lived a girl with big dreams and an indomitable spirit. She was born into a family that kept its good name and stuck to tradition. And they dictated that education was not a necessity for girls. Rather, they should strive for a successful marriage, raising children and maintaining the household. But despite the norms and expectations her family imposed on her, she had her own views on how to make her life fulfilling. This lady didn’t give up easily, even when the path to her dreams seemed impossible. Her story is an inspiration to all who have ever felt lost but never lost hope.
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Dream without Borders – The story of Miglena Tsakova, Lukovit
Everyone has a cherished goal that they secretly hope to achieve, even if it sometimes seems unattainable. Dreams are the one thing no one can take away from us. It is no coincidence that I chose this title for my story because for a long time my family and I lived abroad, but I never stopped dreaming of returning to Bulgaria and becoming a nurse. Even before I finished my secondary education in my native Red Bank, I wanted to continue studying human health care, while my parents insisted that I go into veterinary medicine. I got stuck and decided to skip applying until the following year. And as often happens, life turned me in another direction, I started working in Lukovit, soon after I got married and became a mother to a beautiful daughter, and after another year we went to work in Spain. So studying stayed in the background.
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The happily missed flight to Prague – The story of Toshka Ventsislavova, Butan village
The day of my prom seemed like the beginning of a magical fairy tale with a foretold happy ending – my long-time friend Desislav asked for my hand in marriage, and I excitedly said the cherished “Yes!”. It was a warm and sunny day at the end of May 2018, and I couldn’t imagine a future with even more light than the one I saw springing from my dreams of a prosperous family life. That summer, my husband and I had both decided to go abroad in search of a better future. But fate had other plans for us and today I, 21-year-old Toshka Ventsislavova from the picturesque village of Butan in Vratsa, work as a teacher’s assistant in the local kindergarten “First of June” while I am about to finish my higher education. Read more “The happily missed flight to Prague – The story of Toshka Ventsislavova, Butan village”
Why I want to become a teacher – The story of Nina Ivanova, Medkovets village
In my role as a health mediator over the past 15 years, I have had the pleasure of working with a variety of institutions and the professionals who represent them – doctors, psychologists, educators, lawyers, and scientists from diverse areas of our public life. People who have overcome all kinds of difficulties to make it. Personalities who inspire you to build on yourself to take your place where you will be useful and serve as an example to others.
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Vasilitsa 2025 – Legends and traditions of the bridge between cultures and new beginnings
This year, on 14 January, the Trust for Social Achievement Foundation gladly welcomed the students of the G. С. Rakovski”, Tarnak and “St.. St. Cyril and Methodius”, Kovacica, who together with their teachers and the team of Center Amalipe visited us to greet and greet us on the occasion of the Roma New Year – Vasilitsa. Read more “Vasilitsa 2025 – Legends and traditions of the bridge between cultures and new beginnings”
The vocation of Maria Simeonova from Velingrad
My story about my dream to wear a white apron “like the doctors”
“Willpower is the most important thing in medicine.” – Paracelsus
I’ll never forget the first time I stood face to face with a patient. We were starting the practical part of the course and I thought to myself, “I’ve learned the theory, now all I have to do is dare to apply it”. The patient had a thyroid problem. What I had to do was take a history, question him about his condition and palpate the gland to find out what the changes were in its size and function. I was so excited I forgot to introduce myself. I felt like my heart was going to skip a beat. My throat had constricted and I felt like I was going to pass out at any moment. Luckily for me, the patient was also a medical person, so he knew exactly what was happening to me. He was very responsive, the smile never left his face, and it just so happened that instead of me pre-empting him, he helped me relax and demonstrate what I had learned. At the end of the review I was completely relaxed and confident that I could cope. The history was taken, the gland palpated. I realised that everything so far had been completely worth it. There was no longer a shred of doubt that this was my calling.
Never give up the fight to success – The story of Raya Simeonova, village of Butan
I was in a hospital in Germany when I received a call from Nina Marinova, the director of the kindergarten “First June” in the village of Butan not far from Vratsa, where I worked as an assistant teacher. Fortune was smiling on me at a difficult time – since the age of two my son Malin, now 14, has been battling cancer. In 2017, his doctors advised us to seek medical help abroad, as there was nothing more they could do for him in Bulgaria. We left immediately. We had been in Germany for almost a year when Nina Marinova’s voice in the telephone receiver said, “Raya, there is a project from an NGO that supports young Roma educators in their professional development. Do you want to follow?”
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