Current Projects
Home Improvements for Families at Risk
In June 2008 Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria joined the Program for Prevention of Child Abandonment and Institutionalization. Program partners are the Municipality of Stara Zagora, the Prof. Stoyan Kirkovich Hospital, the Social Assistance Regional Directorate – St. Zagora, the Social Assistance Directorate – St. Zagora, the Samaritans Association, World Without Borders, The Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association, and ARK Bulgaria.
read more »The aim of this program is to develop a model of social work practice aimed at identifying problems of children and families at risk at an early stage and responding to them in a timely fashion by providing support for medical expenses, government subsidies and family counseling. Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria provides assistance for improving the living conditions of families in risk from the region in order to prevent children abandonment and institutionalization.
The situation
Substandard living conditions are one of the main reasons for children to be taken from their families and placed at social institutions. Infants’ health and sometimes even their lives could be in danger or at risk due to poor housing conditions.
Some examples
The home improvement program, which is still in its pilot phase, is part of a wider range of social services offering a holistic approach to the problems experienced by the target group. Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria provided funds to Samaritans to be distributed to the families as home improvement loans. So far, we have served several families. The Marinova family, for example, borrowed US$130 to improve the conditions in their house and repair the walls. The small loan will be repaid over one year with monthly installments of about US$12. The family were happy that the renovations were done before winter so they could go through the severe January cold with fewer worries.
The Stoianovs, another family which was eligible for a loan, used the money to change the linoleum on the floor, insulate the walls around the windows and change the wallpaper. They borrowed US$130 and will repay the loan over 10 months. Even though Vasil Stoianov, the second son doesn’t have a steady job, the monthly US$10 installment will not be a burden to the family because the father has a permanent monthly income. This family was also happy that the renovations were done before Vasil’s child was born.
To read some of the families’ stories, go to the Faces and Places section of our website.
How does it work?
The restorations might sound minimal but they provide a great change to these families. The system suggested by Habitat for Humanity, such as providing home improvement loans is totally innovative not only in the region of Stara Zagora, but in Bulgaria in general. Beside, the loan is free of interest, ranging from US$100 to US$160 with monthly repayment rate of US$10 to US$25. Because the target families are often dependent on welfare benefits or have irregular income, HFH Bulgaria is aiming at families with a minimum income of US$40 per capita. The monthly repayment rate is adjusted individually with maximum 20% of the family income in order to assure the affordability of the loan.
Feedback
By the end of the summer season of 2009, we hope to reach our target of 50 families. "The need is big and if this project had not started, even this small support would not be given" said the representative of ARK Bulgaria, and the the Samaritan representative added: "The Habitat program is really needed, especially in the Stara Zagora region." What Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria is undertaking in this region, with the help of its many supporters, is going to make an incomparable difference in the lives of scores of families. The results HFH Bulgaria got from this pilot project are really encouraging.
The Housing Microfinance Program
For five years, Habitat for Humanity International has been working closely with DIGH, a Dutch housing association, to design and fund social housing projects in Bulgaria. Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria receives financial support from DIGH and in partnership with Mikrofond we have created a Joint Housing Fund offering low-income families access to energy efficiency loans with reasonable terms and interest rates.
These loans allow families to finance self-help home improvement construction to reduce their energy costs and to improve their housing conditions. Home improvements may include the following items: roof repair, hydro insulation, exterior wall insulation, window repair or replacement, updating bathroom fixtures, replacement of inefficient appliances, etc.
The Joint Housing Fund currently amounts to Euro 1 000 000 for the next period of 10 years
The Financial Education Program
Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria's Housing Microfinance Program provides financial education training seminars to our beneficiaries. The Financial Education Program gives our beneficiaries the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to adopt good money management practices for family earnings, spending, savings, borrowing and investing.
Financial education builds awareness as to how low-income households can gain control of their financial resources and better manage with their limited capital. In July and November 2008 twelve Mikrofond loan officers received training to facilitate the seminars. Over the next two years, twenty beneficiary training seminars will be provided in all regions where the Housing Microfinance program is active - Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Vratza, Kurdzhali, Pazardzhik, Razgrad, Silistra, Sliven, Smolian
My Home is not my Fortress
Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria, known in Bulgaria as Podslon za chovechestvoto Foundation, together with the Center for hope Foundation, are starting up the initiative “My home IS NOT my fortress”. This is a joint initiative with the families of children with disabilities for improving the accessibility of their homes.
The situation
Bulgaria is one of the least inclusive countries in Europe with regard to disabled people. According to the National Statistical Institute, more than 10% of the population in Bulgaria is impaired or disabled and 19 000 of these people are children. In most cases the environment makes them even more dependent on their parents. Bathroom or kitchen facilities are often not appropriate and disabled people cannot go out alone as the stairs, elevators or house entrances are not adjusted to their needs. Furthermore, the existing governmental accessibility grants are intended mainly for public buildings. Private housing remains extremely unsuitable for people using wheelchairs.
read more »The project
Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria’s project would give the opportunity to 20 families to reconstruct their homes in order to create better living conditions for ther disabled children – to be able to move freely and to serve their everyday needs independently with minimal assistance from their parents. The reconstructions will depend on the individual needs of each beneficiary, but in general will consist of:
- removal of doorsteps, installation of support holding devices
- reconstruction of the sanitary rooms
- installation of wall plugs and electrical appliances at an accessible height
- widening of the doorway (if possible) and
- construction of support platforms at the house/block entrances
HFH Bulgaria will work in partnership with the Center for Hope Foundation in order to ensure outreach to the target families and to guarantee a transparent selection. In addition, the partner organization will help HFH Bulgaria raise additional funds from local and international donors, which will allow us to reach more families in need of this assistance.
How will it work?
The average renovation will cost about US$3,250 per family. The project is designed to provide part of the amount as a no-profit loan, at an average of about US$2,450. The monthly payment that the family will have to make will be of US$55/month for 3-5 years. The other finances will be provided as a grant from external matching funds - donations from individuals, socially responsible businesses, non-governmental organizations or foundations, as well as municipalities and other local administrations.
The benefiting family will be involved in every step of the project including the selection of the construction company, monitoring of the implementation and collection of additional finances. They will be asked to contribute ‘sweat equity’ or volunteer labor either by taking part in the reconstruction themselves or by covering expenses for part of the reconstruction work.
The results:
As a result of this project we expect:
- 20 disabled children and youngsters to live in improved living conditions, which give them freedom to move inside and to go out of their homes;
- to reduce the parents’ everyday child-attendance obligations;
- to increase the disabled children’s independency and create equal opportunities with their coevals;
- to inform the public about the problems with the accessibility of the living environment.
Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria and the families of children and youngsters with disabilities express their gratitude for your interest and the support for this initiative!
Renovations of multi-apartment buildings
Large parts of the active population of Bulgaria live in big blocks of flats which were built 50 or 40 years ago. The maintenance of these multi-apartment buildings has become a severe challenge for the homeowners in recent years and many buildings are rapidly deteriorating.
Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria, together with the microfinance institution Microfond, is establishing partnerships with homeowner associations all over Bulgaria to renovate blocks of flats – privately owned or owned by municipalities. The aim is to support families of low income in their desire to live in decent buildings, and achieve lower energy consumption.
Home renovations in small villages
The project addresses the housing needs of another vulnerable group - families with children from rural areas.
In the past 20 years rural areas in Bulgaria experienced major loss of employment, income, and services of all types. While commercial agriculture is beginning to recover, living standards in rural areas are still lower than they were before 1990. Health and social conditions are still deteriorating. Young people move to bigger nearby towns or the capital in search of employment, leaving behind poor villages with an ageing population.
read more »The project builds on a successful program initiated by the Tulip Foundation and Heifer which provides families with pregnant pedigree farm animals, offering also training, support, resources for crop seeds, medication for the animals, etc.
Our project gives partner families the opportunity to improve their living conditions using their own resources and labor. We provide small affordable home improvement loans to families who have already benefited from the Tulip Foundation-Heifer project and already have a small but steady income.
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: a holistic approach to community development
Housing is an important element for breaking the cycle of poverty. However, additional effort needs to be invested to achieve sustainability, particularly for poorer communities such as where the Roma population lives in the village of Pamukchii. HFH Bulgaria will build core houses and will support the renovation of existing houses. In addition we will work with partners to develop local economic opportunities. Results from the project will be evaluated and used to inform future developments in other communities.