BULGARIA’S history of charity groups is a tarnished one, owing to corruption and fraud; as a result, most people shy away from groups that claim to raise money for a worthy cause.

One Life Bulgaria is a fairly new organisation, with just one year of history, but it is a very open history, with formal record-keeping, accounting, and a general will to instill trust in Bulgarians and foreigners alike that charitable organisations in this country can be legitimate and honest. As Slavi Christov, a charity member who aids in the administrative area, says, “There is great potential from people who want to help but want to be sure that their money will be used for the right thing. That is what we are working to prove. The best way to prove reliability is to work. Sooner or later your activities will show what your real aims are.”

It all began a year ago as a fundraiser for cancer patients in a hospital in Plovdiv, consisting of a well-organised bicycle ride from Plovdiv to Sofia, a 161 km journey in which 50 people – ranging in age from 12 to 64 –  took part. Many of the participants felt that they needed to do something on a more long-term scale, and they founded the One Life Bulgaria Charity. The main goal is to provide resources for renovations, to enable more pleasant and more hygienic conditions in the children’s ward at the National Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Sofia, as well as to increase public awareness of these issues. In essence, they aim “to bring the Children’s Ward to normal operational level for a hospital in Europe at the beginning of 21st century.” By doing this, they hope to “indirectly help all the children in Bulgaria.”

Composed of expatriates and Bulgarians alike, the nine-member committee holds many different fundraisers and is open to new fundraising ideas, such as hotel donation cards and women shaving their heads. Their desire is to bring the Western experience of charity work to Bulgaria, as there are no other charities here that organise these types of benefits and events.  The most successful has been a golf tournament held at The St. Sofia Golf Club & Spa, which despite coinciding with the US tennis tournament, brought in substantial funds and allowed them to support numerous renovations. Many people took part (19 teams in all) and made it a day of fun and camaraderie, while still emphasising the central focus, of raising money for the hospital. Trophies were awarded at the end of the tournament, and many corporate sponsors supported the event. They are planning to hold the tournament again next year, so “people will know about it without the need for much advertising.” Anyone interested in signing up or getting more information may contact the charity at info@onelifebulgaria.org.

The bike ride that started it all has also become an annual event. Last year there were 50 riders, mostly friends who were invited along for the ride, but this year they are hoping for double the number of participants and are calling on everyone who is interested to take part. The entrance fee is 50 leva, but they are anticipating that sponsors will cover the costs of those who wish to participate and show their support but are unable to donate the money themselves.

The bike ride is an opportunity for personal achievement and challenge, as well as team-building. The starting point has been moved from Plovdiv and will now begin at Borovets, ending with a BBQ at Alexander Nevski. A police escort and ambulance will be provided, as well as a bus for those participants who want to jump on and take a break or for teams in which the riders will operate in relays riding the route. As Laura Thomas, a Bulgarian and one of the founders of One Life Bulgaria exclaimed, “You can always jump on the bus, which makes it easy and fun!” She hopes that companies will be interested in the opportunity for team-building, in which the rotation and reliance on your teammates to take over for you will encourage support and cooperation, so the effort is not placed solely on one person. It will be an enjoyable time for all involved, with catering and prizes, but the real emphasis will be on why the charity is raising the money.

Currently, there isn’t much money in the bank account of the organisation, and they are desperately trying to raise funds (between 2000 and 4000 leva) for new medical mattresses to replace the old, stained, and dirty ones that the sick children are using, and to repair the roof of the building (about 3000 leva) after the damage to it in the past few months of flooding and storms. Another idea is to get in contact with hospitals abroad for donations of medical equipment, such as blue lights that kill bacteria. If it weren’t for the doctors working to save lives under these difficult conditions, the hospital would have a much higher mortality rate. Unfortunately, the Bulgarian government usually supports renovations only when the worst happens, like the recent flooding; however many of the charity participants feel that “for some things you don’t need a tragedy in order to react.”

Slavi Christov believes that many Bulgarians have been involved at some point in their lives with hospitals, and “everyone notices that things are getting worse and worse every year, despite health reforms.” The money is just not being provided to make even the slightest repairs and renovations which, though one of the most expensive areas, is one of the most important. As the situation stands now, Laura Thomas feels that any EU delegation touring the facility would either laugh or cry at Bulgaria’s inability to fund one of the most vital aspects of a country’s well-being and a sign of progress: its health-care system. “How can we go into Europe with this kind of hospital?” she asked. “For 10 years now they’ve been promised a new hospital, and they can’t even get repairs for the one they have, much less a new one.”

One of the charity’s long-term goals is the creation of a hospice, a comfortable and reliable place for children and their families to go when they have life-threatening and life-shortening diseases. But the most logical setback is that they need “more funding and resources to organize such a thing.” Any support and donations in any form would be most welcome, not only by the charity but by the staff, the children and their families at the hospital. By joining in the bike ride being held October 2, people will be able to have fun, meet new and exciting people from the expat and Bulgarian community, and work towards a worthy cause.
This reporter will be there, with riding gloves, glasses, and a hat to make the long but fun trek down the mountain into Sofia’s centre. Please contact the event organiser at rossy@onelifebulgaria.org if you are interested in participating in the event or contributing to it, sponsoring it, or being involved in some other way.