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First Person

Photo: Future for Children

"Children who are members of a non-governmental organization in Bulgaria for disabled youth scale a mountain peak for the first time in their lives."

The Bulgarian town of Kazanluk is famous for its rose gardens, which produce some of the world’s finest rose oil for making perfume. It’s also the home of a unique organization: the Future for Children with Disabilities Association, established in 2003.

This non-governmental organization serves children with disabilities and their families. In all of its projects, such as kite-flying, horseback riding, and art therapy, children are the major actors. One of the members’ proudest achievements is climbing up the peak Ispolin in the Stara Planina mountain range.

The group’s members have also participated in a series of USAID-supported training workshops. The Health for Everyone Association, a Bulgarian advocacy group for people with disabilities, led workshops on the topic of social entrepreneurship that inspired the Kazanluk organization to launch a social enterprise combining children’s art therapy with the production of gypsum souvenir figures.

It is pursuing another business idea to ensure a source of stable income: a pastry production facility and a small cafe. Many citizens of Kazanluk are involved as volunteers in the Association’s activities, and say they are eager to be the café’s first clients and regular patrons.

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