THE NEXT STEP
So, what next?
As we keep trying to reiterate, it is the BASIC NECESSITIES that are always required - the every day items that we take for granted - nappies, toiletries, cleaning products. Every time we speak to the staff they stress that the very basics are the items that they need most.
At present, the children are washed once per week because the orphanages cannot afford to pay their water bills, the heating is used sparingly because oil is so expensive. Their diet rarely changes and consists mainly of soup which is cheaper to provide. Wouldn't it be great if we could make things less Dickensian?
In the villages the story is the same and, as a result of the poverty, many local families send their children to the Orphanages on a daily basis. As well as continuing to provide the basics we would LOVE to achieve the following:
1. Take the children to the beach during the summer and let them see the
sea!
2. Arrange English classes for the children in Elhovo Orphanage
3. To make life easier in the local villages by providing 2 washing machines for the community centres.
4. Ensure that the staffs of Yambol Orphanage are supplied with enough nappies, baby wipes and powder to last them for 6 - 12 months.
5. Having spoken to the local Mayor, we have discovered that there are no facilities available to provide the elderly with a hot meal during the winter months. We would therefore love to establish a canteen facility in the local community.
6. Find a few Doctors willing to donate some time to take a look at some of the children - Medical attention in Bulgaria is expensive, and while of a decent standard, it is a long way down the list of priorities - especially when they can barely afford to feed the children. It really is heart wrenching. one of the children in the orphanage has severe back problems and cries himself to sleep each night over the last few years his condition has become increasingly worse. We plan to put out a radio appeal in the near future to see if we can prompt favourable response - particularly someone from an Orthopaedic background is desperately required.