After a year of silence, the Mrachenik school came alive once more, echoing with the voices and footsteps of 31 dedicated volunteers. These individuals, coming from every corner of Europe, have arrived in the small, rural, yet welcoming village of Mrachenik in the Karlovo region of Bulgaria.
This diverse group includes participants from Spain, Germany, France, Lithuania, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Poland, Turkey, Belgium, Finland, Bulgaria, Sweden, Hungary, and the Netherlands, all united by a common mission: to breathe life into the “Bright Future Youth Center”.
The journey began with two days of onboarding, where the project’s vision was shared, and the volunteers learned about the importance of living together with a common purpose, love, care, cooperation. This initial phase was crucial in helping everyone understand not only the goals of the project but also the values of Smokinya Foundation, which focuses on empowerment, integrity, initiative, and the acceptance of mistakes as a part of the learning process.
Though the primary focus of the project is physical labor, it offers a unique opportunity for personal reflection and development. Every task, from removing soil and grass to cleaning the camp, is a chance for volunteers to learn about themselves. They are given tools to raise their awareness about their accomplishments, both individually and as a team working towards the common goal.
With the initial phase complete, the volunteers have settled into a routine. Each day starts and ends together, providing time to share and reflect on the day’s achievements and areas for improvement.
Seven working groups have been established to focus on different areas:
School Renovation Team: This team has made significant progress, removing old paint and preparing walls for a fresh new coat, and preparing the barn for conversion into a social area.
Woodworking Team: This team is responsible for the fixing of any wooden structures or furniture, as well as building anything out of the available wood material
Cleaning Team: In charge of keeping the school clean and habitable, cleaning the school rooms to make them safe and support the renovation team by clearing the waste created.
Village Support Team: Dedicated to assisting with local requests, this team has cleaned main streets in the village area, made the church more accessible, and updated direction signs, making it clear that Karlovo is only a few kilometers away from Mrachenik.
Garden Team: This team is transforming the garden, removing bushes and grass, to create a beautiful outdoor area for everyone to enjoy.
Media Team: Documenting the daily life and achievements of the volunteers, capturing accurate and beautiful photos to share with followers and those interested in the project.
Kitchen help: Team of two volunteers and a cook produce tasty meals two times a day to feed the volunteers, share joy through food and inspire each other in what is possible through food. Vegetarian options are always available and the goal of respecting the environment is seen in days that are completely vegetarian.
In addition to their defined roles, the volunteers have been supporting local businesses and engaging with the community. They helped a local woman on her work picking roses in the early morning for her business and in doing that they share their time and effort to support the local economy.
To foster stronger connections, the volunteers invited local residents to visit the camp, share coffee, tea, and snacks, and see firsthand the work being done. This gathering of about 10 local people was a precious opportunity to break the ice, share cultures, answer questions, and understand each other better.
As the weeks progressed, the bond among the volunteers and with the local community grows stronger, ensuring that the Bright Future Youth Center will indeed have a bright future.
In conclusion, we want to thank everyone who took part in this project and helped us along the way, and we hope to see some of you back in September!
Smokinya Foundation follows the UN youth agenda 2030, the 11 Youth goals for EU, and EU strategy in the field of youth to Engage, Connect, Empower. We are committed to contribute in working towards reaching the UN SDGs.
Smokinya Foundation is accredited to carry out Erasmus+ projects in the field of youth, as well as, we are holding a Quality Label for Lead organisation within the programme European Solidarity Corps.
With this TEAC ESC activity we worked on and created results and successes on improving the following SDGs.
https://smokinya.com/2022/07/17-sustainable-development-goals-of-the-united-nations/
Should you have a question, contact us: info@smokinya.com.
This program is co-funded by the European Solidarity Corps program of the European Union.
The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an
endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be
held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. //
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одобрение на съдържанието, което отразява гледните точки само на авторите и не може да се търси
отговорност от Комисията за всяка употреба, която може да бъде използвана за информацията,
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