FOUNDATION “EUROPE FOR ALL CHILDREN””

The foundation is established in 2002 by a group of parents, teachers, private companies’ owners, publishers and foreign citizens - all of them seriously concerned about the Bulgarian children’s future and life, and especially about their education and development in the new conditions of free market economy.

The foundation’s aim is: to collaborate for incorporation of the Bulgarian children, their parents and teachers in the common European values and standards of upbringing and education; to facilitate the exchange of achievements in education, sport, culture and all branches of economy, connected with activities and products for children; to create a system of values, based on tolerance, acceptance of differences, ecological preservation of nature and national identity in the European multicultural variety.

During the first years of its existence this civil community operated within a small circle - helping in the activities of the parental board of trustees of Children Educational complex “Svetlina”, including crèche, kindergarten and school “Svetlina” concerning: improvement of the material conditions, providing of transport facilities, financial support of the summer camps, etc. Later on the foundation participated even more actively for incorporation of the parents in the social and educational life of their children through: lessons taught by parents, who are specialists in certain field, sport events with the participation of parents, spending weekends with common activities, free school for parents, etc.

In the following years the parents and the school management expanded their activities towards support for orphan children, exchange with state-funded schools and kindergartens, and events organized together with Sofia Municipality. All this is accompanied by a series of donation acts:
- 2001 - for “Vuzrazdane” district and “Lyulin” district (for Roma Children)
- 2002 - for 30th Secondary School and other schools in Sofia
- 2003 - for crèche and kindergarten №41, for “Vrubnitsa” district, for the Week of the Capital City Education, organized by Sofia Municipality, etc.  
- 2007 - for Specialized Children Medical Care Institution “St. Sofia” and crèche and kindergarten №49, etc.

During the years parents and teachers gathered experience and encouraged more and more people and institutions to work for the cause of education and for the improvement of the quality of life of many children in need. The foundation began its participation in “The Bulgarian Christmas”, organized by the president of the Republic of Bulgaria. The donations are given for the years of 2005, 2006 and 2007.

We also joined the appeal of BTV for “The Magnificent Six”.

In 2006 the foundation stated its participation in projects connected with European Union programs.

In 2008 it coordinated the efforts of parents, teachers and public figures from three schools in Sofia, participating in project №73 from OP of ESF. Professors from University of Sofia “St. Kliment Ohridski” and New Bulgarian University and students from National Sports Academy also joined the project.

In 2009 the foundation, together with Rotary Club-Sofia collects financial resources needed for the appointment of psychologists, therapists, social consultants, rehabilitation and speech therapists in several orphanages in Sofia.
In parallel with this, there is an action for collecting cloths, toys, music CDs, DVDs and books for the orphanage “Ivan Rilski” in Sofia

First steps are already made concerning the organization of the common activities of Children Educational complex “Svetlina” and foundation “For Our Children” in support of de-institutionalization of the orphanages and of the return of the children in families with real care and warmth. Common holiday, but also weekdays are planned.

The future tasks are in terms of turning our attention to the children from the countryside, from the village regions and from the orphanages in these regions. A research, made by us, shows that there is a lot of work to be done with these children, not only in the material aspect, but also as an exchange of upbringing and educational methods, common participation in programs, and the making the children from Sofia to be acquainted with the natural, historical and cultural heritage of every small corner of our country.

This is an invitation for all Bulgarians, who care about our country and about our children. Because our children are Bulgaria!
We are open for suggestions, initiatives, joint projects, material and moral support, and for enlarging our contacts in and outside of Bulgaria.

For further information, please contact:
Lyudmila Tsonkova
komplekssvetlina@abv.bg
0885452657