Every year we at Valdo 69 take part in different kinds of initiatives, and the one I am about to tell you about happened in the summer of 2023.
Our team was very excited about what was coming: these children would get to see the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, something they had long wished for, for the very first time.
On 15 August 2023 we were informed about changes at the Foundation: by 31 December 2023 the Concordia children's home was to close and the children would be moved to other places. The change was agreed with the social services and carried out entirely under their guidance.
Although it had been agreed that the children would go on the planned trip first and be moved afterwards, that arrangement was not kept, and by 15 August 2023 only two children were left in Bozhurishte.
After talking it through, it was agreed that the trip would go ahead and that other children who use Concordia's services would join as well. So here is a little more about what happened: the first seaside holiday for the children of the Concordia home, 24–29 August 2023.
The seaside holiday took place at the Bufo station in the Rosenets area near Burgas. For little V. and K. (aged 5 and 6) it was their first encounter with the open sea. They were thrilled, and our colleagues say it was hard to get them out of the water. The holiday station also had a pool, which added to the joy of playing in the water and the swimming lessons.
The children were also taken to the sand sculpture exhibition in the Sea Garden in Burgas, which impressed them deeply. Our colleagues told them about the sculptures, and on the way back to the base they discussed which figures they liked best and which stories had captured them.
The children were enthusiastic the whole time. At the end of the holiday V. said he wanted to come back with his big brother and dad.
The trip helped the children feel genuine warmth and strong emotion, and to experience the warmth of a family environment.
With the funds from the donation, several more short trips were organised, involving a total of 23 children aged 6 to 18: 8 girls and 12 boys.
- A two-day camping trip with tents near the village of Eleshnitsa in the western Balkan Mountains in September 2023, with 8 children taking part.
- Mountain hikes to Cherni Vrah and Kamen Del peaks on Vitosha (more than 15 children from various day and residential services took part), in September 2023.
In November a weekend trip to the Zvezditsa hut on Vitosha was organised. Besides the mountain hike, debate groups were held on topics the children care about, for example "For/against compulsory school uniforms", "For/against migrants" and "For/against more funding for the homeless". Discussing these topics raised many questions about how society is built and how people treat others in need.
The participants argued their positions, rebutted their opponents and used cross-questioning, all within a time limit. The children expressed opinions drawn from their own experience while taking in their opponents' point of view. The group came to share the idea that the ability to defend your position builds both critical thinking and tolerance for differences.
Impact achieved
All the short trips in the project were educational and aimed at supporting the children's social and cultural inclusion. The activities broadened their horizons and developed their skills for coping and finding their way in unfamiliar surroundings. The children got to know different geographical, cultural and historical parts of Bulgaria. Their understanding of the world around them grew, and they took in information about cultural sites in a fun, new and interesting way. During the events the children practised their social skills, both with each other and with adults. They were encouraged to practise expressing a position and holding a discussion, and their curiosity about different natural and cultural places was sparked.
All the activities aimed to make socialising easier and to encourage positive experiences and rich emotions. The children gained experience in a social and cultural environment that was new and unfamiliar to them.
All the events helped relieve the children's stress and the difficulties of their everyday lives.
At the end of the project we saw greater motivation and a desire to take part in new activities and events like these.