Nonprofit organizations and civic groups are on the frontlines of reversing economic decline, providing access to quality education and medical care for our society’s most vulnerable groups, and ensuring Bulgaria’s youth are ready for the jobs of the future. They work to prevent food waste in Bulgaria and help disadvantaged youth find meaningful occupations. A Bulgaria of thriving communities small and large is not a distant dream thanks in part to the efforts of those dedicated dozens among us—the rock stars of civic activism in Bulgaria.
Their work deserves your recognition and support:
For more than ten years, the Devetaki Plateau Association has worked to spur economic activity in the rural Devetaki Plateau region in North Bulgaria. An annual jazz festival and an academy for aspiring musicians have helped attract publicity to the region, while ongoing partnerships with local businesses and government strive to bring year-round tourism.
The language of business is English, but innovations are written in code. Telerik Academy School knows this and provides free programming classes to students in 15 Bulgarian cities to help them develop key digital competencies, creative thinking, and problem-solving skills and enter the digital economy with confidence.
The Bulgarian Food Bank helps to prevent food waste and feed over 30,000 Bulgarians in need every year by redirecting edible food before it ends up in the dumpster. It also saves food producers and purveyors time, effort, and money they would otherwise expend in getting rid of the excess food themselves.
Bulgarian schools are understaffed, and a steady drop in student outcomes is the inevitable result. Eurostat has found that two out of five Bulgarian teens are functionally illiterate, and one in five children drops out of school, never to return. These are Europe’s worst numbers. Teach for Bulgaria has established a fast track to teacher training and empowerment, which has proven so effective that the Bulgarian ministry of education has recognized the organization as an official partner in the effort to address teacher shortages and students’ poor performance nationwide.
For eight years, the Trust for Social Achievement has worked to provide basic education and medical services to underserved communities in Bulgaria. In partnership with local government and other NGOs, TSA offers work training and has helped many start their own businessеs.
In 2018, the America for Bulgaria Foundation teamed up with GlobalGiving to help these and other Bulgarian nonprofits expand their reach and learn how to take advantage of digital fundraising opportunities. All organizations listed on the Foundation’s GlobalGiving page are former or current ABF grantees and have successfully passed through the toughest accelerator possible—GlobalGiving’s crowdfunding program.
You can support the vital work they do in the country and help us all get closer to our shared dream—a prosperous Bulgaria that provides equal opportunities and a level playing field for all.
