Orphanage Program Descriptions

All of One Heart Bulgaria’s programs were created with the goal of dramatically improving the lives of children living in orphanages as well as preventing child abandonment from occurring in the first place. Our long-term goals are 1.) help orphans reintegrate into Bulgaria’s society as healthy, well-adjusted citizens 2.) offer training and support for foster care programs 3.) eradicate child abandonment 4.) help close down the orphanage system and end Bulgaria’s orphan crisis.
We achieve these goals by providing for the basic needs of the children, including specialized medical care for children with disabilities. We provide trained caregivers to properly care for the children; complete special projects and renovations at the orphanages; implement life skills training programs for the teenage orphans; and work with underprivileged pregnant girls and women who are at risk for abandoning their children.
Our efforts have the added benefit of supporting Bulgaria’s economy through local purchases of food, equipment, and supplies, and employing local citizens to help implement our programs in the orphanages and children’s hospitals. The number of helping hands and giving hearts that get involved with our efforts directly correlates with our ability to take care of thousands of abandoned children throughout Bulgaria. Please read about our programs below to find the best way for you to get involved with One Heart Bulgaria and truly make a difference to this country in crisis.

Grandmothers for Orphans “Baba Program”

In our Baba Program, we hire grandmothers (“babas”), to give individual attention and nurture the children by reading to them, helping them with homework, and playing with them. Babas also help the little ones bathe, brush teeth, and prepare for bed or for their day. Some babas may be assigned to work one-on-one with children with severe mental or physical disabilities. This is an invaluable program that helps the children receive the individual attention and love they desperately need, which aids them in their social skills and emotional and personal development.
There is wide interest in the work our babas do. We receive many calls with requests from orphanage directors who want to be included in this program. As a result, One Heart Bulgaria employs babas to care for children at orphanages all over Bulgaria. Babas receive training and education in childcare and basic dental hygiene. Babas who work with children with disabilities are often former nurses or physical therapists. The monthly salary of a baba working on a part-time basis ranges from $100-130, which provides much-needed added income for these wonderful elderly women.

grandma-nurturing2

Grandmother Representatives Vanya and Viki are supplied with bags full of educational toys, books, and games for the children.

grandma-nurturing1

Vanya is dearly loved by the children at the Sv. Paraskeva orphanage where she is “grandma” to 65 babies and children ages 0-4.

Physical Therapy

One Heart Bulgaria trains and hires physical therapists to work with children at several orphanages and care centers around Bulgaria. Our therapists make use of a special method that includes splinting, massage techniques, and therapy equipment, which has proven very successful in reversing the disabilities caused by cerebral palsy, deformities, severe neglect, and other medical situations. Several children with whom OHB therapists have worked have achieved mobilization goals, even learning to walk. In turn, families are more willing and able to adopt these mobile children. OHB also provides physical therapy for families with children with disabilities so that parents can keep their disabled children at home instead of at orphanages where their conditions become dramatically worse, oftentimes resulting in death at a young age.

Abandonment Prevention Programs

One Heart Bulgaria is expanding its reach by opening a medical clinic for underprivileged pregnant women in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The clinic will provide vital prenatal care and emotional support during and after pregnancy. Through this medical program, we are confident that we will begin to see a decrease in birth defects as well as child abandonment. Reports indicate that if an “at risk” mother in Bulgaria receives emotional and medical support during the first twenty-four hours after birth, she is more likely to bond with her baby, instead of abandoning it. This is especially important for mothers who are as young as thirteen years old, which is not an uncommon childbearing age in this region. In addition, many of these girls and women do not have access to birth control or family planning classes, which explains why so many of them end up pregnant again within 6-18 months after giving birth. One Heart Bulgaria’s Maternal Clinic will provide services that meet all the needs and concerns of childbearing girls and women who are seeking help. To accomplish this, we need significant support from individuals, foundations, and corporations who are willing to join us in this worthy effort to save these abandoned children and preserve the country of Bulgaria.

Animal Therapy Programs

Orphans do not have the pleasure of owning pets or interacting with animals. Years of no personal attention, affection, eye contact, or love oftentimes creates mental disorders and emotional suffering in these children, resulting in an inability to bond with others. They desperately yearn for connection! Spending time with animals can be a good place to start and brings joy into their difficult world. OHB has partnered with the city of St. George, Bulgaria to create a small ranch with three horses, rabbits, a dog, and a peacock. Orphans all over Bulgaria–with or without disabilities–get to participate in this wonderful program and can even ride the horses using a special saddle with a seatbelt. An indoor riding arena, with a ramp for wheelchair access, was donated by BYU TV Network so that the ranch can be enjoyed year round. Families in the community with children with disabilities are invited free of charge. Other members of the community can visit for a small fee, helping to make this a self-sustaining program in time.

Education

As of July 2014, One Heart Bulgaria has a Bulgarian staff of 13 teachers for music, dance, carpentry, taekwondo, table tennis, sewing, and cooking classes, including 2 librarians who mentor the children through books and activities. Please consider donating to our Teacher Fund to keep our capable staff working to enrich the lives of our Bulgarian kids.

Download library flyer here
Download teacher flyer here

Dental Program

Dental care is inadequate for Bulgarian orphans. We sent our first dental team, consisting of five dentists and eight hygienists and assistants, to Bulgaria in September 2007. Twenty local volunteers assisted the team, giving dental care to 500 children from 10 orphanages. Dentists claimed that the children had the worst decay they had ever seen. After their dental procedures, each patient received a dental hygiene kit and instructions on brushing and flossing along with a small toy and snack. In 2018, Alison Garner, a hygienist who specializes in working with children with disabilities, visited several orphanages to help instruct children and their caregivers in dental hygiene practices. Alison also helped train several babas so that they could help the children learn good dental hygiene skills. Interested individuals can contact Heidi Barker at oneheart@oneheart-bg.org

Life Skills Training

One Heart Bulgaria is developing programs to help teenage orphans gain valuable life, social, and occupational skills. Learning such skills, combined with the steady attention of trained and compassionate leaders, will help implement the successful reintegration of the orphans into the Bulgarian society and decrease their chance of involvement in criminal or anti-social behavior such as prostitution, drug addiction, robbery, or joining the Mafia after they leave the orphanage.

Medical Programs

We regret to announce that we can no longer supply shunts for children needing surgeries. However, we can purchase shunts in Bulgaria for children in orphanages. Please continue to donate to our Hydrocephalous Program and Medical Fund so we can provide urgent medical care for children in the 23 orphanages we help.

Hydrocephalus Program: Hydrocephalus is the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain, leading to their enlargement which in turn, causes an enlarged head and eventually retardation, blindness, and loss of motor-skills. This otherwise crippling and fatal condition can simply be treated by surgical insertion of a shunt, which helps drain the excess fluid. There is no reason why any child should have to endure this correctable condition. The Bulgarian government pays for the surgical procedure, however they will not pay for the actual shunts, which cost about $800.00 each. Because parents and orphanages cannot afford this expense, many children in Bulgaria die from hydrocephalus, usually by the age of three years.

In order to properly implement this program, One Heart Bulgaria must have a constant supply of shunts. As of summer 2006, Integra Life Sciences and Medtronic donated shunts valued at over $55,500. The lives of 57 Bulgarian orphans (as of February 14, 2010) have been saved so far because of these shunt donations. One Heart Bulgaria facilitates pre-operational assessments, corrective surgery for Bulgarian orphans and underprivileged children suffering with hydrocephalus, and then ensures that post-operational and follow-up care is provided.

In September of 2006 and again in December of 2006, Dr. John Clark, a neurosurgeon from St. George, Utah, spent a month in Bulgaria as part of a One Heart Bulgaria initiative. He performed several surgeries, trained local neurosurgeons, and also researched and assessed needs for the further development of the hydrocephalus program.

Medicines: One Heart Bulgaria helps to supply flu vaccines, prescription and non-prescription medications for children in orphanages. We receive many urgent requests from orphanage directors before flu season each year. Please consider donating to our Medical Fund.

Music & Dance Programs

One of One Heart Bulgaria’s main goals is to enrich the children’s lives classes that nurture, instruct, motivate and inspire. We employ music, drama, and folk dance instructors to teach, mentor, and entertain children in many of our orphanages. These adult mentors play the piano, the accordion, or the guitar while working with the children. When funds are available, we also provide costumes so groups can give public performances. Monthly salaries range from $40 to $130 depending on skills and hours worked.

Our successful music programs have been praised by the Bulgarian media, and orphanage directors are pleading to have similar programs established in their facilities. These music programs, along with our Grandmother Nurturing Program, are the most effective of all our efforts to bring nurturing and cultural experiences to the children.

In support of this enriching programs, several well-known Utah musicians traveled to Bulgaria in March of 2009 to provide concerts and performances to several orphanages.

Sewing

One Heart Bulgaria’s sewing programs teaches important skills, instills work ethics, and inspires a spirit of service. Young people who participate in our sewing programs have rewarding experiences sewing for themselves and as completing service projects for others. Currently, our class at Gabrovo orphanage uses five sewing machines, notions, and fabric purchased by One Heart Bulgaria, and is taught by a skilled, enthusiastic, and creative instructor who has a salary of $85 per month. A pattern for success!

Woodshop Program

We are very pleased with Lubomir Mladenov, our carpentry teacher at Maria Louisa Orphanage. Lubomir is a talented craftsman who loves to help children learn woodworking skills, and this orphanage had an unused room with some equipment, tools and workbenches that was perfect for a One Heart Bulgaria woodshop class.
To become involved with these life skills training programs, please contact Deborah Dushku at deborah.dushku@oneheart-bg.org or make a donation to keep Lubomir teaching

Literacy Program: Libraries and Computer Rooms

OHB has established two libraries with librarians who mentor the children through educational and social activities, reading initiatives, and computer access.

Assenovets Orphanage Library has a qualified teacher/librarian to guide and mentor the children. This first library, established by a generous donation from the Dorothea Haus Ross Foundation, was inaugurated on November 1, 2012. This event received media coverage and was attended by several municipal officials and directors of nearby orphanages. This project has made a large impact in the entire community. Ludmila, our very capable and caring librarian, is pictured here with our Bulgarian director, Nickolai Gavazov. Ludmila is a schoolteacher who received librarian-skills training in Sofia.

Bratsigovo Orphanage Complex Library: Thanks to a generous donation from Polly and Josh Brandoff, we were able to create another beautiful library/computer room at this location. Our librarian, Mariana, is an exceptional individual who is devoted to her work with the kids. The children love to read here, work on puzzles, draw, and spend time together. Upon visiting the site, OHB president Deborah Dushku said, “It was gratifying to see so many children in one room getting along with one another and truly enjoying themselves. I would like to extend a special thank you to our Sponsorship Director, Donna Dushku, our Field Director, Dr. Nickolai Gavazov, and our donors for creating our truly wonderful libraries!”
We are interested in starting a mentoring program at these two locations for the purpose of teaching teenagers important business skills and character development. For more details, please refer to the “Life Skills Training and Mentoring” section below.
Please consider donating to our Teacher Fund to keep our capable staff working to enrich the lives of our Bulgarian kids. To donate, please email our Sponsorship Director, Donna Dushku at donna.dushku@oneheart-bg.org.

Orphanage Sponsorships

A sponsorship is a commitment from an individual, corporation, family, or community group to donate a specific monetary amount to provide an orphanage with basic needs for one year. The cost of a sponsorship is based on the needs of the specific orphanage. Usually a sponsorship costs about $60 per child per year; however, sometimes it is less or much more. The cost to support an orphanage for children with disabilities is slightly higher. Sponsorship costs are tailored to the needs of the individual orphanage. For instance, the infant orphanages may need diapers and food, while the orphanages for children with disabilities may require therapists and medicine. The needs of each orphanage are assessed under the supervision of our our Bulgarian directors, Nikolai Gavazov, PhD. and Diana Stoyanova. They manage orphanage sponsorship funds after consulting with the orphanage directors and the One Heart Bulgaria Board.
To participate in the Sponsorship Program, sponsors choose an orphanage and make a formal commitment to provide the necessary funding by contacting our Sponsorship Director. The orphanage is then contacted and the assessment and sponsorship process begins. A contract is then developed with the orphanage and our directors oversee the expenditure of the sponsorship funds. Sometimes a large orphanage or one for children with disabilities may require multiple sponsorships; in which case, several individuals or groups may sponsor one orphanage.
Sponsors receive periodic newsletters and feedback on the children’s health, activities, and needs. These reports may include updates on orphanage conditions and expenditure of funds, as well as pictures of the children and orphanage staff when available and permitted. These personal reports come through Dr. Gavazov and our Sponsorship Director, Donna Dushku. Our treasurer, Laura Larsen, sends donation receipts including necessary tax information to participating sponsors.
One Heart Bulgaria currently gives aid to 29 orphanages and several other facilities for institutionalized children.

Internships

One Heart Bulgaria offers exciting opportunities for interns to make a real difference in the lives of orphans. Most of our current internship opportunities involve working in orphanages for youth ages seven to eighteen. Interns can be good role models, helping the orphans gain self confidence and develop new skills while interns provide guidance and understanding as the orphans explore ideas and options for their futures.
Wherever possible, interns live with the orphans they serve, becoming an integral part of the orphanage during their stay. Interns participate in the regular daily activities of the orphanage: helping children get ready for school, walking with them to school, helping students with homework, and engaging the children in conversation over meals. Interns will also have the opportunity to teach special after-school classes based upon the intern’s abilities and interests and the needs of the orphanages. Such classes might include English, art, music, health, and computers. Each intern will also have the opportunity to participate in the organization of charity projects within Bulgaria itself, as we try to help the Bulgarian people help their own orphans.

More Information and answers to common questions about the Internship Program

Projects

Some examples of projects we have approved and funded in the past:

Surgeries & hydrocephalus shunts provided for 96 orphans and two adults
Replaced 48 windows and 96 doors in the bedrooms/bathrooms at Slaveikov Orphanage
Funded a sports, dance, and English course program at Bratsigovo 1 and provided all necessary materials, costumes, uniforms & equipment
Purchased: washers, dryers, refrigerator, beds & mattresses; waterproof covers, physical therapy equipment, hygiene and dental supplies, medicines, detergents, playhouses, bicycles, toys and flooring for recreation room
Provided dental care for 500 orphans at 10 orphanages
Rehabilitative care at Kotel Rehabilitation Hospital
Classroom repairs and classroom chairs at Sv. Marina Orphanage
Salaries: 1 doctor, 3 nurses, 1 therapist, 16 babas, 2 folk dance teacher, 1 art teacher and 4 music teachers; 1 sewing & cooking teacher, 1 carpentry teacher, 1 taekwondo teacher, 1 table tennis coach, and 2 librarians
Oxygen tent, laser unit for physiotherapy and rehabilitation, 2 aspirators and 2 lung ventilators
Books, printer, computer and supplies for library at Slaveikov Orphanage
Established 2 library/computer rooms: 1 at Assenovets Orphanage and 1 at Bratsigovo Orphanage Complex. Both have excellent librarians

Some Notable Accomplishments and Progress in 2018

Successful 2nd annual cultural event/fundraiser (lots of Bulgarian involvement with this event)
Developed Abandonment Prevention Program
New tables, chairs, and murals for Assenovets’ cafeteria
PEAT assessment and report on our Baba, Physical Therapy, and Library programs successfully completed
OHB President, Deborah Dushku met with former Governor of Nevada, Bob Miller who helped us make new important contacts in BG government
Established working relationship with humanitarian missionaries in BG
Welcomed new board member: Katina Stefanova
Hired new treasurer: Laura Larson
Hired new assistant director in BG: Diana Stoyanova
Opened Varna location for physical therapy at 8 facilities
Held physical therapy training conference in Plovdiv for our physical therapists
Hired physical therapist in Varna
Hired 5 new babas in Stara Zagora; Plovdiv; Zelenikovo; Kotel
Launched Bulgarian website: Edno Surse
Created YouTube channel with five informational videos
Improved communication, planning, and follow-up with Bulgarian staff via Zoom meetings and new reporting system
Kotel Specialized Rehabilitative Children’s Hospital elevator project: OHB fulfilled its funding commitment
Service trip big success: painting, cleaning, creating murals and assembling donated tables and chairs for Assenovets
Medical trip big success: trainings, assessments, research, child evaluations
Dental training for our babas
Dental checkups, cleanings, and supplies donated
100 therapeutic mattresses donated for Stara Zagora orphanage and hospital
Sewing group makes foam therapy wedges and “boppies” on a regular basis and delivers to facilities with children with cerebral palsy
Sewing group involved in humanitarian work at Gabrovo High School
Sewing group participant, Alex, awarded with humanitarian of the year in Gabrovo City. Also received upholstery certification.
New animal therapy program being developed in St. George, BG
Working with BCIITV and KBYUTV to build an indoor riding arena and pens for our animal therapy program for the children. National publicity on TV to follow
Videography group: created a Valentine’s video and other projects they were proud of
Christmas parties for 12 orphanages

ORPHANAGE	SPECIAL PROJECTS	COST
Assenovets	Librarian’s salary	$217/mo.
Bratsigovo Complex	Librarian’s salary	$150/mo.
Buzovgrad Orphanage for Disabled Children	Food blender-homogenizer	$400
Lozenetz Baby Orphanage	Baba salaries	$200/mo.
Maria Louiza Orphanage	Supplies for arts & crafts	$30/mo.
Naretchen	Educational Supplies	$200
Pleven	Nurses	$200/mo.
Stara Zagora	Medical Supplies and Diapers	$2,000 & $200/mo.
Varna Complex	Physical Therapists	$400/mo.
Vidrare	Medicines	$100
Zelenikovo	Medicines & hygiene supplies	$250

To donate to one of these projects or find out about new projects, please contact Donna Dushku at donna.dushku@oneheart-bg.org.

FDI members Roberta and Thyrle Stapley and Becky Johnson assess the Ana Gizdova orphanage

Orphanage Caregiver Training

One Heart Bulgaria is excited to develop a training program for workers in Bulgarian orphanages. Workers in the orphanages we visit are often tired and disillusioned after years of physically and emotionally draining labor. Most workers settle for orphanage jobs when they can’t find any other kind of work. They receive little training and are required to care for large groups of children. The result is that the children receive only the most basic care and do not get the positive adult interaction they require to become healthy and successful adults themselves.
The Training Program is designed to develop appropriate skills in the workers while also helping them understand the importance of their work as a role model—someone who is shaping the future of Bulgaria. Training covers child development, the rights of children, positive behavior management, social skills development, understanding the needs of children with disabilities, and more.
Orphanages that wish to participate in the training program commit to sending each member of their staff to at least one training session a quarter and orphanage directors are invited to attend all trainings. Participating orphanages will receive a small grant at the end of the training cycle, part of which is earmarked to fund training-related initiatives: purchasing books and educational supplies for the children, and purchasing equipment, child development resources, and other necessary items for the staff.
Unfortunately, this important and promising program is not yet fully funded. One Heart Bulgaria needs donor assistance to fully implement the program.
The orphanage workers are often the closest thing to parents that these children have. By contributing to the Training Program, you can help provide these surrogate parents with the knowledge and skills necessary to raise this large family.

Family Dynamics International Launches Training Program in Bulgarian orphanages.
For more information please contact Roberta Stapely at Family Dynamics International at familydynamicsinc@hotmail.com.

Physical Therapy

Future Programs

A sewing co-op, and various other micro-enterprises would also provide valuable employment skills for the orphans and generate revenue for the orphanages.

To become involved with these life-skills training programs, please contact: Donna Dushku at donna.dushku@oneheart-bg.org.

Orphanage Program Descriptions

Grandmothers for Orphans “Baba Program”

Physical Therapy

Abandonment Prevention Programs

Animal Therapy Programs

Education

Dental Program

Life Skills Training

Medical Programs

Sewing

Woodshop Program

Literacy Program: Libraries and Computer Rooms

Orphanage Sponsorships

Internships

Projects

ORPHANAGE

SPECIAL PROJECTS

COST

Orphanage Caregiver Training

Physical Therapy

Future Programs