Link Romania are helping the Trussell Trust with their new house for ex-ophanage

 young people in the town of Ruse, Bulgaria.  Below is the recent E-Mail from them on what is happening to the project

"The latest news is the opening of our new House of Opportunity in Ruse – first two residents Vasko and Ferdane joined in June! They came from the orphanage of Starmen - 50 km from Ruse - where they were living until becoming 18. Our house parents Mariana and Maria, who are committed Christians, welcomed them in a fully equipped house and they are settling in really well. We were very fortunate to get lots of people to donate furniture and to volunteer in the preparation of the house, and we managed to get started with very small capital investment. We are working in very close partnership with a local church called Friendship who provide most of the local support we have. As I think I told you when we met in Skravena, we have found that having a network of Christians around every house, is crucial to the success of the project. And that is not because we get volunteers to help out, but mainly because it secures a network of positive relationships in the lives of the young people who often come out of orphanages with very few or no reliable relationships.

In Ruse we are sharing a big house with another organization who are working on establishing a day center for children and young people with disabilities. Both projects are completely separate but using rent free an old house – architectural monument - renovated by the Beautiful Bulgaria Project and given away for use to community benefit until 2014. We’re hoping to be able to apply for some Municipal support after that period is due. The head of Social Work in Ruse Municipality assured us that the House of Opportunity is a very needed project in the region and “will fill in a vacuum” providing care for youngsters who leave care and are no longer entitled to any state provision. Our plan is to make every effort in the next few years to prove that we could be a reliable partner of the municipality and persuade them to give us a building rent free after 2014" 

Miryana Georgieva

House of Opportunity - Ruse, Bulgaria

This is an excellent project that Link Romania are very happy to be supporting and we will update you regularly on how it is progressing.