provide services to children with physical and mental disabilities to give them a better quality of life
raise public awareness and help social inclusion
Handicapped Children's Home of Petrovo
It is a social home for 97 disabled children between 3 and 20 years old, situated in the remote village of Petrovo, near the Greek border. The majority of the children have severe mental and physical disabilities. The IWC has supported the home since 2003 with physiotherapy equipment, a physiotherapy program, a baba (granny) program, and a speech therapy program:
Physiotherapy care - The IWC employs three full time physiotherapists who are doing wonderful work with the children. Children who were totally bed ridden can now sit up, coordinate their movements, stand up and some have even started to walk.
The Baba Program - The Baba Program provides essential individual attention to the children. We hire and train babas, retired women from the nearby villages, and each baba gives exclusive care to two children, two hours daily with each child. The results are extremely encouraging. A strong bond has developed between babas and children. The babas talk to "their" children, caress them, play with them, bathe and feed them, take them out for walks, celebrate their birthdays. We notice a steady improvement in the children's awareness and locomotive skills. The babas themselves have found a new sense of worth, and they are proud to take the children to the village, in strollers and wheel chairs, and introduce them to everyone in the community!
See some of our 17 Babas (grannies), who are working in the home of handicapped children in Petrovo.
Speech therapy -The majority of the children at Petrovo Home never learned how to speak. Thanks to speech therapy the children are learning to express themselves through words, sound, touch, images, writing, drawing…
We would like to thank:
The Macedonian Outreach Foundation for their ongoing support of the Baba Program, Physiotherapy and Speech Programs.
Mrs Visser in Holland for her ongoing support of Petrovo
How you can support:
Donations of items such as detergents, shampoos, lotions
A financial contribution to the physiotherapy program, baba program and speech therapy program
Maria Luisa Orphanage, Buzovgrad
This is a social home for 90 disabled children from 0 to 5 years old, situated in the village of Buzovgrad, near Kazanluk. The IWC started a Baba Program at the home during the summer 2006. There are currently 6 babas taking care of 2 children each 4 hours daily, 5 days a week. The Baba Program works wonders on the children!
How you can support:
Donations of detergents, children's diapers, shampoos and lotions.
We would like to thank Ingrid Lycke Ellingsen, her friends in Norway and Dramen Rotary Club for their support of the Baba Program in Buzovgrad Orphanage.
Gorski Senovets Orphanage
This is a social home for disabled children between 3 and 14 years old, situated in the village of Gorski Senovets near Veliko Ternovo. The IWC supports a Baba Program at the home. Currently there are 2 babas working at the home.
How you can support:
Donations of detergents, children's diapers, shampoos and lotions
A financial donation to expand the Baba Program.
Karin Dom
Karin Dom is a non-residential Centre for Rehabilitation and Social Integration of Children with Special Needs and their Families. Karin Dom combines practical work with advocacy and raising public awareness to help social inclusion as part of a better quality of life.
Karin Dom was the first NGO in Bulgaria to introduce a change to the old system whereby children with physical disabilities and mental problems were called "invalids", "non-educable", and were hidden in institutions with poor standards of service.
140 - 150 children a year (35 to 45 children a day) have consultations, physiotherapy, classes, art and music sessions, swimming, integrated activities with other children both at Karin Dom and outside. Each child has an individual program. A professional team (physiotherapists, speech therapists, special education teachers, psychologists, social worker, paediatrician) provides services at the Centre and goes on home visits. 117 children from Karin Dom have been included into mainstream schools and kindergartens.
The IWC supports Karin Dom by paying the salary of the rehabilitator.
How you can support:
A financial donation towards the salaries of the rehabilitator, the speech therapist, kinaesitherapist and pediatrician.
"Children who care"- Light for Life Foundation -
The Light For Life Foundation provides professional support to those with disabilities living in their own homes and in institutions in Bulgaria.IWC supports Light for Life's "Children who care" project. This project aims to help children in Sofia who are the caregivers for their disabled parents. They run social activities for the children and provide psychological support to address the issues of being a carer and dealing with the stigma it often causes. The parents receive counseling, physical rehabilitation and have the opportunity to attend a parents support group.
How you can support:
A financial contribution to the salary of the psychologist
"Future for the Children with Disabilities" Association- Kazanluk
In Kazanluk there are currently no conditions for the active inclusion of children with disabilities into society. The IWC gives financial support to the "Future for the Children with disabilities", a home-grown association founded by parents, specialists and volunteers. The Association has created a facilitative center with the main aim to facilitate the integration of children with disabilities into society.
How you can support:
A financial contribution to the salary of the social worker who works on behalf of the children and their parents.
Traditzia Art Therapy Project
Traditzia Foundation support socially disadvantage people and entrepreneurial artisans by generating opportunities for them to help themselves. Through art therapy and product development consultation, Traditzia provides expertise to people in social institutions, especially youth, minority groups, and economically-challenged artisans to create marketable products and then provides them with direct market access in the Traditzia Gallery.
The IWC supports "Further Development of Skills and Expanding Opportunities for Disabled People in Social Institutions". The project is implemented in 16 social institutions. The aim of the project is to nurture and foster artistic talent among young disabled people in view of independent living. 10 women with disabilities are also included in this program.
How you can support:
Financial contribution to the Art Therapy Program
Maria Luisa Orphanage, Buzovgrad
"Children who care"- Light for Life Foundation -
