Community Donation Fund – Sliven
Bulgaria

ABOUT the CF: Community Donation Fund – Sliven was established in 2012 in order to promote the philanthropy as a factor for local development on the territory of Sliven area.

The main activities of the Fund are:
– Fundraising:  campaigns to raise funds for specific causes and projects
– Grantmaking to local NGOs and civic associations for small social projects; grants and scholarships to needy children and youths.
– Project management

PROJECT TITLE:  Support for poor communities in Sliven area for better education during a crisis – 2

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The COVID-19 pandemic, which has lasted more than a year and a half, has brought new challenges for the educational process in Bulgaria. The transition to distant learning has exacerbated existing inequalities among students from different social groups. The most affected are children from vulnerable groups and families with low social status. The lack of technical devices has determined the growing risk of dropping out of the school system of large groups of students. Our project is aimed at poor communities in small and remote villages. Our goal is to reach students in need for whom to provide the necessary devices to have access to online education and to reduce existing inequalities between students from different social groups; as well as inequalities between the big city and the countryside.

In order to change the situation, described above, we expect to achieve the following results and effects:

– at least 60 children from socially disadvantaged rural families received free access to distance learning;

– 60 tablets and / or laptops purchased and adapted with the necessary software;

– at least 6 rural schools supported;

– at least 10 villages in the municipality of Sliven covered;

– reduced number of students from the villages who dropped out of school;

– active involvement of local communities in the process; increased desire of the assisted students to actively participate in the distance learning;

– reduced inequality between students from different social groups;

– positive wide public response about this initiative.

SDG TARGETS: Proposals that take into account SDGs which were most affected by the pandemic of coronavirus – GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being, GOAL 4: Quality Education, GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality and GOAL 1: No Poverty will be ranked higher.