SNAPSHOT:
The manager: Milena Bokova
The job: Executive Director
The company: BlueLink  
Nationality: Bulgarian
In brief: Bokova, the executive director of BlueLink (www.bluelink.net), is responsible for ensuring effective overall management of the organisation, developing and designing BlueLink’s activities and operations, and formally representing the organisation. She also actively builds the BlueLink network to ensure financial sustainability. BlueLink, founded in 1998 by eight NGOs and three individuals, now works with more than 300 parties. The organisation aims to create a free forum for the exchange of information in order to support sustainable development, democracy and civil society.

Growing up, some kids love sports, other politics. Some want to become the next CEO of a company. Unfortunately, dreams often get lost or set aside along the way. It is a rarity to find someone who takes a dream and finds a way to create a life around it. Milena Bokova, executive director of BlueLink, is one of the lucky few who found a way to turn her passion into a profession.

With parents working in Sofia, Bokova and her brother were raised by their grandparents in a small mountain village in north-west Bulgaria. “We were free as birds. I connected to nature. Being in nature, recognising nature and protecting it, it is a basic part of my life.”

After finishing high school in Sofia, Bokova studied economics and journalism at the University of National and World Economy.

Continuing her education, she received a master’s in the management and economy of agriculture.

“I wasn’t passionate about working in business. I just thought it was what people do,” says Bokova. She began her career in the private sector, working as a financial manager. Yet, even after switching companies, she found the corporate world was not a good fit. “When I graduated, I had no idea about the NGO sector,” Bokova states. “I didn’t even know it existed.”

It was a friend working at the TIME Ecoprojects Foundation who provided the introduction. Soon after, she began providing strategy advice to the foundation on a voluntary basis.

After six years, she realised something needed to change. Bokova wasn’t happy with the way relationships were handled or her workplace environment. She says: “Everyone was driven by money and was racing for profits. It was all artificial, fake.” Fortuitous timing, the friend who introduced Bokova to the TIME Ecoprojects and who was also one of its founders, was moving on from her role as executive director. The organisation asked Bokova to step in.

Bokova has always been interested in nature and was attracted to work in the environmental sector. She believes that “there is a destiny for everyone. At this particular point, I was ready to move to the environmental NGO. My mission in life is to work for environmental protection”. However, Bokova admits that there were many challenges. “I didn’t know the sector or the people when I started. I had no environmental background. There was definitely a learning period. It was learning by doing.”

Bokova stayed with TIME Ecoprojects for six years until a new opportunity arose in 2004 – a chance to take the helm at BlueLink Information Network (www.bluelink.net). “I was excited to move to BlueLink,” Bokova says. “It was a chance to use my journalist background and to learn more about information technology. The idea of applying information and communication technologies to environmental activism fascinated me.”

Founded in 1998, BlueLink was started by a group of eight environmental NGOs and three individuals. Frustrated by their lack of individual success, the group realised the possibility of what they could achieve by working collaboratively. Eight years later, BlueLink now has more than 300 contributing organisations including NGOs, government organisations and the media, as well as individuals who want to stay abreast of the latest information about the environment and sustainability.

When Bokova came on board, she was responsible for two staff members and one full-time volunteer. Today, the organisation has grown to six staff members and a full-time Peace Corps volunteer. But, the size of the organisation is not the only thing that has changed. “Initially, it was a small NGO on both an activity and financial basis. Then things started to happen. I am an active person who can’t stay without acting and have this ability to attract a lot of work,” she says.

BlueLink was originally launched as a communication portal for environmental organisations. Information provided on a voluntary basis was compiled and then redistributed over the internet and in newsletters. Today, BlueLink is an open forum where members can post information. BlueLink serves as the moderator and facilitates the sharing of information.

Moving beyond the role of an information provider, Bokova envisioned BlueLink at the centre of a large network. Her first step was to expand the reach of the organisation. “Working on environmental sustainability, you need to include everyone,” she says. “Everyone” means including NGOs who focus on youth, gender, volunteering, people with disabilities, rural development and community development, for a start.

Including individuals in the process is also very crucial. Bokova notes that there was no united place for information for the civil society. Her goal – bridge the gap by finding a common purpose to link the different sectors. “We are all working for sustainability,” she says. “BlueLink shows the NGOs how to work better together.” Providing an example, Bokova speaks of the “environmental family” BlueLink helped create. “There are a lot of different areas in the environment like water, wastes, and biodiversity. We united the fields so they could create joint campaigns and, in this way, gain greater support.”

BlueLink now manages mailing lists on more than 70 different topics, provides technical and training services to its members, and creates websites for members to publicise their efforts. Except for web development, all of its services are free so far. Paid services only account for less than five per cent of the organisation’s revenue, so it relies heavily on grant funding from both US and European sources. Bokova acknowledges the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the government of the Netherlands and the European Commission as its greatest supporters.

One service of which Bokova is particularly proud is the creation of online campaigning, which started with her arrival. While many organisations simply used their websites to display information in the past, BlueLink helped make the sites interactive. They created a platform on the site where, users could send letters directly to policy makers. This is just one example of a tool that empowers citizens to participate in the change process.

Additionally, BlueLink introduced a platform for online voting. This tool helps elect individuals from society into government committees, where they will partake in the drafting of laws and regulations. Again, this allows for a greater involvement of citizens at the national level. There has been a very positive response to this tool by individuals, and it supports Bokova’s overall goal of creating a larger network focused on sustainability.

Outside of its client service offerings, BlueLink is active on the international level. It is the Bulgarian member of the Association for Progressive Communication (APC), an international network of civil society organisations dedicated to empowering and supporting groups and individuals working for peace, human rights, development and protection of the environment, through the strategic use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), including the internet. Within the international community, BlueLink is currently focusing on two major initiatives. The first is the development of information and communication technologies. BlueLink actively participates in all processes connected to the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS), a UN initiative. Additionally, BlueLink is active with the Aarhus convention – a convention for access to information, access to participation in decision making and access to justice on environmental matters – and is a member of the Electronic Information Tools Task Force, a United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) initiative.

No matter the progress that BlueLink has made, they continue to make big plans for the future.

On an organisational level, BlueLink is developing a new business plan which focuses on the inclusion of commercial activities to offset the need for grant funding. They recognised that funding can be a volatile revenue source so they are shifting their model to become more self-sufficient. BlueLink is also upgrading its website to include new features and functionality, as well as a CRM system making it easier to sell services.

Responding to customers’ needs, BlueLink is developing tools that will make its clients’ activities more successful. The organisation offers a variety of workshops on topics ranging from the use of ICTs to interacting with the media to successful campaigning strategies. BlueLink is also extending these services to the civil society, a group often left out of the process. As a final, key component, BlueLink is increasing communication with organisations in the Balkan region and initiating joint projects.

Understanding the history of the organisation, and knowing where it’s heading, Bokova begins to speak of the organisation in the here and now. “BlueLink operates on a unique concept,” she says. “While there are other organisations like us in the world, they are generally established to serve social and gender issues. Finding environmental networks is rare. Any that do exist are mostly business members that provide services. Civil society plays a small part, if any.” Given this model, BlueLink faces no competition at the moment. Rather, it serves as a unifying force within the sustainability movement.

Bokova believes, “BlueLink is successful because it is neutral. We are open to everyone. We don’t judge. We put other organisations first. We support them, make them more visible. BlueLink stays in the background to make others more successful. We get our power when the others find success.” Understated and modest, BlueLink is the outward vision of Bokova herself. She may stay in the background, but her work is being noticed.

Wondering how the organisation markets itself, Bokova responds that “we actually do very little promotion. Others do this for us. Word-of-mouth is our biggest source of business. In these circles, everyone shares with each other”. What they are sharing is BlueLink. Rather than seeking media attention, the media actually comes to BlueLink for the latest environmental information, as do government agencies. However, continuous support from the government is not a sure thing. Because BlueLink is a neutral source, the information provided may not always serve the government’s position, or that of other organisations. Yet, it is this impartial distribution of information that makes BlueLink a reliable source, and successful organisation.

When asked about the effect of EU accession, Bokova has not seen any impact so far, nor does she expect to. “We have been working in the international field since the very beginning,” she says. “Active NGOs are international players. The internet is actually a good way to tell who is dynamic, who is changing. Checking how often an organisation updates its website will tell you a lot about them. We update ours daily.”

The success of BlueLink, realising what has been accomplished in such a short time with a small group of people, is truly impressive. Digging a bit deeper, two powerful forces seem to be at play: employees’ personal motivation to make a difference in the environment and the constant support of BlueLink’s dynamic leader.

“I think the people at BlueLink really want to be here,” says Bokova. “People are working toward a common goal. They want to protect the nature and work for sustainable development. This is not imposed by the organisation. It’s in their nature, a constant motivation.

They want to contribute to a bigger purpose. They might complain about the amount of work. But they understand they are the only ones who can do it. It is a big responsibility and a challenge, but a stimuli as well.”

Despite the hectic schedule, Bokova believes that everyone stays energised because “they have a sense of personal motivation for the work. It’s interesting work – almost every day presents a new challenge. With every campaign, you feel like you are saving the world. This is a huge motivation”.

The environment Bokova has created also drives this innovative organisation. Bokova says that she loves working at BlueLink. “The best thing about working at BlueLink is that we have a very easy-going atmosphere. I encourage everyone to share their ideas, with the power to implement later. We have open communication.”

Does this mean everyone is always in agreement? Bokova laughs. “We have our challenges, like everyone. But, we discuss our differences and work together to find a solution with the greatest benefit. Sometimes it takes time to see the value and appreciate new ideas.” This in itself is a positive reflection of the organisation’s leader.

Ever the optimist, Bokova gives a slight glimpse into her personal frustrations. “What I find most difficult is when we work really hard but we can’t change the external powers. Our group alone can’t stop certain forces, such as the devastating construction on the Black Sea coast and in the mountain areas. Knowing we can’t convince people to stop their businesses, we offer tools for sustainable development. We look for a compromise.”

Hard work, long hours, how does Bokova manage? “Sometimes there is a lot of work, but then I can see the positive results,” Bokova responds. “I used to work really long hours. I would never take sick leave. Now I allow myself more space and I take days to rest.”

Bokova also finds an escape in her volunteer work. She is on the board of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Bird, participates in fundraising campaigns like Generous Heart, and she likes joining volunteer brigades, such as cleaning the mountains or building eco-villages. Coming full circle, Bokova also likes to return to nature. With her partner, they both enjoy merging in the deserted mountains and the sea.