A spectacular view, I can see National Theatre Ivan Vazov from my apartment window. Wanting fresh air, I cross the busy street in front of my building, looking both ways. Now familiar, I could describe the theatre or cross the street with my eyes closed. But I don’t have to.

In a world that caters to what can be seen, we often forget those who constantly live in the dark. According to the Union of the Blind, an estimated 17 000 Bulgarians are blind or visually impaired. Often left to fend for themselves, they become prisoners in their own homes.

Under the communist regime, the state provided for the basic needs of the disabled. However, the social well-being of this group was usually overlooked. Policies and personal attitudes separated people with disabilities from the rest of society, as did physical structures including a once-operating factory and apartment buildings for the blind, all on the edge of town. This marginalisation persists even though the communist days have passed.

Bitterly ironic, darkness forms a continuous circle. Living in a world they cannot see, blind remain invisible to most people around them. Fortunately, there are a few noteworthy organisations that fill a void in this seemingly bleak situation.

Choir of the Blind Academician Petko Stainov
One such organisation, the Choir of the Blind Academician Petko Stainov, dates from 1935. Shedding light in an otherwise dark place, the Choir of the Blind was founded by a group of blind singers with obvious musical talent. The group shone, soon reaching a high artistic level. In 1948, by government decree, the choir was made professional. Supported by the Union of the Blind until 1999, the artists were able to make their own way in society.

Fast forward to 1992. One day, Petar Matev happened upon an ad posted by the choir – it was looking for a pianist. Not blind himself, Matev was simply interested in making music. In addition to playing the piano, he regularly assisted the conductor. So, in 1997 when the conductor moved on, Matev ultimately took over the role.

As a conductor of a blind choir, the obvious question that comes to mind is how one might lead a group that can’t see him. Matev smiles. “We feel each other,” he says. “Naturally the process is slower. It takes more rehearsal time. But, the only real challenge is getting more help for this group of people.”

Matev continues: “The choir wants to sing. Music makes them feel wanted, useful. It is one of the few things blind people can do as well as seeing people. Perhaps, they are even better. Because they are missing one sense, all of their other senses are stronger. And, music is about feeling. This choir is not only unique in Bulgaria, there are not many like it in the world.”

Sitting next to him during the interview, he clearly has no bigger supporter than his wife Krassi. “He was more talented, so I didn’t want him to give up music,” she says. “But, we need to pay the bills. My other love is languages, so I translate for a living. This way, at least one of us can focus on music.” Selfless in different ways, this remarkable couple has certainly filled an undeniable void.

Asking Krassi what makes this unique group work, she replies: “He treats them like he does any other person. He doesn’t focus on their disability. When the Union of the Blind announced a competition for a conductor, the musicians did everything in their power to keep him. Members of the group are always calling him. The love is mutual.”

Just two years after Matev took over as conductor, the Union of the Blind ceased funding the professional group. Not willing to give up the fight, Matev and two choir members established the Foundation Choir of the Blind Academician Petko Stainov in 1999. Matev spends much of his time at the foundation generating financial support, without which the choir’s activity cannot continue.

As stated on its promotional materials, the main goal of the foundation is to assist visually impaired musicians. A full-time job, Matev donates his time, working with other choirs on evenings and weekends to earn a living. Because of funding challenges, this group only performs when it find sponsorship, most of which comes from project grants or businesses.

Krassi adds that “the country is just taking the first steps toward improving the situation for blind people. We don’t have the experience to help or care for the disabled. The churches don’t take on the charity role like in the United States and individuals are not so rich to provide support. And, the laws are not good for businesses that help. It is a frustrating situation”.

In the past year, the choir has performed in seven concerts: one was in Thessaloniki and the others in Bulgarian cities. The group is next expected to perform in June at the fourth International Festival of Orthodox Music in Pomorie.

A talented group of performers, the choir’s success is evidenced by the publication of records, audio tapes, and two more recent CDs. They have created records for the Bulgarian National Radio and given hundreds of domestic and international concerts. Perhaps the greatest recognition was when the group won a high standing as one of the leading ensembles in the Bulgarian musical culture.

The choir’s repertoire includes works by Bulgarian and foreign composers: pre-classical, classical, Romantic, modern, Orthodox and rearrangements of Bulgarian folk songs, as well as vocal symphonic works.

To learn more about the Choir of the Blind or contribute to the worthy cause, you can contact the group at matev@spnet.net or +359 (0) 88/ 954 94 79.

Eyes on Four Paws
A more recent establishment, the Eyes on Four Paws Foundation was started in 2001 by Albena Alexieva. The story begins when Alexieva bought a guide dog from a school in Germany. The school’s owner planned to create a similar school in Bulgaria and Alexieva agreed to generate support from the society by promoting the importance of guide dogs for the blind.

When the German backed out due to economic uncertainty and what he deemed a “confusing” society, thanks to her new-found freedom and confidence afforded by her companion, Alexieva decided to pursue the project anyway. She says: “I realised that the blind in Bulgaria would never be able to integrate into society by staying at home, afraid to leave the house.”

Alexieva continues: “The situation in the country is changing slowly but we decided to open the school in the here and now. The greatest joy was when things started to happen. One moment it was a crazy idea and the next it was a serious reality. And we succeeded.”

Indeed, the guide dog school officially opened its doors in January of this year.

Invited to tour the school, one of the employees, Mihail Nedkov, offered to guide me from TZUM. Sitting on the metro, we settled into a discussion about life in Bulgaria. It wasn’t until we reached our stop that I finally got to hear his story. Casually mentioning that he has three per cent of his vision, I naively ask what this means. “I can see enough to walk but not enough to read,” he responds.

Digressing for a moment, Nedkov has an interesting story of his own. Preferring to home school her sons, Nedkov’s mother took it upon herself to teach Mihail and his brother, also blind. With unbelievable support, the two brothers also earned university degrees in psychology after their father recorded all of their textbooks on tape.

However, Nedkov was caught between two worlds. “Because I didn’t go to school with the blind, they didn’t trust me,” he states. “I was an outsider.” Eyes on Four Paws aims to reduce this separation by reintroducing the blind into the seeing world. And, Nedkov’s position as co-ordinator of the Foster Family Programme helps him bridge the gap.

Six years in the making, there were many obstacles to overcome before launching the school. Among the challenges were finding suitable puppies and foster families to take the dogs in for the first year. And, funding is a constant concern. Because each trained guide dog is given to its new owner free of charge, alternate revenue sources are essential. Bulgaria’s largest mobile operator has provided substantial support in the past but the company is currently facing a tough economic environment.

Discussing the financial situation, Alexieva chimes in: “Sometimes when it’s hard and I feel on the edge, it helps me to look back and see all that we’ve been through and all of the people who are still standing with me. All of these things prove there is a reason why we must carry on. This is not the end, just the next obstacle.”

Continuing on, she says: “The other good thing that gives me strength to go on is the joy of the people who already have guide dogs trained by us. This is the reason for everything we are doing. When you hear someone saying: ‘I haven’t been walking in the rain alone for years; I haven’t felt free the way I do now,’ then we all feel better.”

Thus far, the foundation has trained two dogs who are living with blind people. Seemingly small, the number does not accurately reflect the tremendous work it has taken to establish the foundation, and now the school.

“We started from nothing,” says Nedkov. “In all of Bulgaria, there was nobody to teach people how to train guide dogs.” After serving as a foster family, Martina Marinova was brought on as the school’s first guide dog trainer.

Marinova says: “I felt the need to do something good and to trust in something I do. I fell in love with the job.” Trained in Russia, she is now working with three dogs that should be ready to live with blind people this summer.

At the heart of Alexieva’s work, she believes that “having the chance to change the life of a blind person in such a way – finding a job, friends, ideas, thinking about the future, the way he becomes more full of life and braver than he ever way – makes it all worthwhile.”

The foundation provides hope for a large community. Alexieva estimates there are 1000 Bulgarians between the ages of 18 and 40 that would be ideal candidates for guide dogs.

Right now, in addition to financial support, the foundation is looking for foster families. Ideally, the family will love dogs but not already own one, have enough free time to devote to the puppy and lead an active lifestyle to help acclimate the puppy to different situations. The foundation offers substantial assistance for foster families including the provision of dog food, equipment, veterinary care and training support.

To learn more about Eyes on Four Paws or how to get involved, contact Mihail Nedkov at 02/ 824 38 45 or by e-mail at e4p@abv.bg.