KALINA ORPHANAGE (bULGARIA)

Home for Upbringing and Education of Children Without Parental care

Address: 

1 Ploshtad Vasil Aprilov

7124 Sturmen

Obshtina Byala, Bulgaria

Children: 32 girls and 25 boys

Note: The Orphan Train Project will obtain an updated list of needs and costs for any interested potential Orphan Train Conductor organization.

Orphanage Director and Staff: Director Bosjidara Ivanova has been at the orphanage for 16 years. There are 18 people on staff, one of whom speaks English.    

The following items of need are listed in order of priority.  An asterisk indicates a large one-time expenditure, of which 1/5 of the cost has been included in the estimate of first year’s cost.

*Computer Center - $2,500	The home would like to purchase three new computers so the children can complete their Information Systems assignments at home and use computers for assignments in other classes.  Staff members will help the students with their assignments. Presently, the home has two pre-Pentium computers that are not adequate.
*Beds and mattresses - $3,990	All of the mattresses at the home need to be replaced.
Shoes - $600	Most of the children have adequate shoes for winter and summer, but they don’t have any footwear for playing and sports.  The older kids cannot participate in competitions because they have no footwear.  The only place they can play is at the home where the other children play without shoes and the ball is tattered and soft.
Food - $500	To improve the diet of the residents the home will purchase more meats and cheeses, and vegetables during the winter.
*Building repairs - $60,000	The building is literally falling apart around the children, held together by patchwork repairs.  Extensive repairs will include fixing the plumbing, windows, doors, and structural repairs.
Maintenance - $500	Regular preventative maintenance to extend the life of the orphanage building, and reduce the need for major repairs in the future.
Sheets, pillows, and towels - $505	Just like the beds, almost all the sheets, pillows, and towels need to replaced.
*Music System - $200	Music is joy for these children, just as it is for all.  They would like to replace the system they have with a new one.  The current system is over 7 years old, and is nothing more than radio now.  A new system would allow them to play CDs, which are inexpensive in town.  With a system that plays CDs, they can use it to practice their musical numbers for plays and listen to language lessons. (The entire price is included in the estimate.)
Eyeglasses	3-4 pair per year-Estimate needed

SPECIAL CONDITIONS IN THE AREA WHERE THE ORPHANAGE IS LOCATED:

The Kalina Orphanage is isolated in the tiny village of Sturmen.  Aside from a special bus that takes the children to and from school, there is only one bus in and out of the village each day.  Consequently, the children are dependent on the resources of the village, which are sparse, for education and entertainment outside of school hours.  Unlike children in the municipal center of Byala, they do not have access to computers or interesting places to spend their free time.  The situation is much worse during the summer because the residents of the home have no school and they are separated from all of their school friends all day long.  Regulations concerning supervision mean that the children cannot even walk the seven kilometers into Byala unless they are part of a group.

PROSPECTIVE INTERMEDIARIES: Peace Corps Volunteers Lauren Smith and Alexander Lane. 

FUNDRAISING FACTS: The children of the home make Martinitzas (springtime lapel decorations) and occasionally produce plays, which they perform for audiences in Byala. The home supplements its food budget by maintaining a vegetable garden. Many local groups donate food.

Any organization interested in working with this orphanage should contact the Orphan Train Project.

*Special Note to any Lions Club interested in working with this orphanage. Currently, the largest single donor of food to the Kalina Orphanage is the Lions Club of Ruse. Perhaps a connection could be arranged between clubs.

*Special Note to any Rotary Club interested in becoming a conductor for this orphanage. There is a Rotary Club in Ruse, making possible a connection for a matching grant, though this subject has not been explored with the local Rotary Club