Gomotartsi Children’s Home, Gomotartsi, near Vidin

The orphanage is situated in a village some way out of the main town of Vidin (around half an hour by bus). This situation is customary for a home established during communist times when children with disability were regarded with great stigma and were tucked away from view in homes such as this one (attitudes towards disabilities are little improved today). The home houses 80 children with a great range of disabilities some more and some less severe. Many of the children are bed-ridden and have serious deformities - a condition compounded by a lack of exercise and nourishment. We were informed by our guide (a local British V.S.O, Julian Gibb) that many of the children entered the home with a mild disability which was not in any way debilitating, but which untreated, has degenerated into a condition which leaves the children unable to leave their beds. I was playing with a child with an uncorrected cleft palate whom I guessed to be no older than 18 months. When I asked her age, I was told 11 yrs. Her condition was typical of the children there. They have been confined to their beds since birth, have been underfed and have had little to no stimulation (many children were rocking or banging their heads in their cots). Immobility and lack of food has meant that their bones have never grown and children, even teenagers as old as 13 or 14, are no larger than a two year old. This was one of the most distressing places we visited, but there is no doubt that there is much rewarding work to be done with these children. There are 36 staff who work 3 shifts. They are understaffed and underpaid, but seemed enthusiastic that we might be able to help. The immediate need for the home while we were there was to find a new supply of nappies for the children (nearly all of them wear them as they are either incontinent or have not been trained to use a toilet). The home only had a few days supply of nappies left and if no new donor was found, the children would be left to defecate in their beds. (As it is the children’s bedding has to be changed around seven times a day). Donations of bed sheets and winter clothes would be appreciated.

Opportunities for volunteers to help include doing simple stimulation activities with the children such as tickling(!) and supporting them as they take their first steps. Some of the more able children enjoyed playing with a ball, multi-sensory stimulation would be very good - bean bags, sensory boards, simple arts and crafts. The volunteers could also do a great deal to improve the children’s surroundings, helping with painting/maintenance jobs, improving the small multi-sensory room, making mobiles etc. Music would be wonderful and it would be great to take the children outside, as the grounds back onto the Danube and are beautiful. I think the fresh air may be appreciated! This would be a very challenging place to work and would call for a good deal of dedication and resolve. Access to the main town is quite poor (infrequent buses) so volunteers would have to ensure that they worked within their own capabilities, took time and were creative in their own recreation and provided support for each other.

Trip Reports:

Summer 2003 Easter 2003 Summer 2002 (Group 1) Summer 2002 (Group 2) Summer 2002 (Group 3) Easter 2002 Summer 2001

Last updated: March 2nd, 2008