Dom Gavrosh Street Children’s Centre, Varna

Takes in children from the Varna area - the majority of them are of Roma origin and some have difficulty in speaking Bulgarian. The children attend classed until lunchtime each day and are free in the afternoons. The care workers run an outreach programme at the same time every day to try and attract more children to attend the centre. They offer the children a change of clothes, food, and a doctor’s examination, and they encourage them to attend the local state school. In the afternoons the care workers help the children prepare for their school lessons. The activity programmes that the centre runs include sewing, woodwork and painting. In the summer, the beach offers opportunities for out door activities which would be ideal for MCAB volunteers to organise.

The centre looks after around 25-30 children per day (in the summer there are more), aged 5-15yrs. They are free to come and go as they please, but the door to the centre is closed after 10pm. This acts as a curfew for the children although they are allowed to enter after this time.

The daily routine is as follows:

• breakfast, followed by a minibus ride to school
• 12.30pm lunch at the centre
• 3-5pm afternoon activities
• 5pm onwards, evening activities

Facilities include a playground, TV, video, blackboard and classrooms. Volunteers would sleep in the staff room that seems spacious and (relatively!) comfortable.

Trip Reports:

Summer 2006 Summer 2005 Easter 2005 (Group 1) Easter 2005 (Group 2) Summer 2004 (Group 1) Summer 2004 (Group 2) Summer 2004 (Group 3) Easter 2004 Summer 2003 (Group 1) Summer 2003 (Group 2) Summer 2003 (Group 3) Easter 2003 Summer 2002 (Group 1) Summer 2002 (Group 2) Summer 2002 (Group 3) Easter 2002 Summer 2001

Last updated: March 2nd, 2008