Star Catchers
A Night on Buzludzha with Astrophotographer Mihail Minkov Can you see the stars during the day? That was one of the first questions astrophotographer Mihail Minkov was asked when he visited one of Cedar’s houses in Kazanlak. Over the past few years, Mihail has travelled to some of the darkest places on Earth in search […]
Eurochild’s International Conference on the Child Protection System in Europe
Authentic participation by children and youth, serious political commitments, shared experiences from over 30 non-governmental organisations across Europe, and a strong desire to work together for a present and future that supports children’s rights and child protection systems —these were the highlights of this year’s Eurochild International Conference, in which we participated as a member […]
Lessons in care, patience, and responsibility
Pencho graduated with a degree in “Social Work” many years ago, but for a long time he didn’t work in his field. Life took him in various directions, including 13 years in England, where, as he tells us, it’s very difficult to establish yourself and find work in your profession. After returning to Bulgaria, a […]
When Work is a Mission: 13 Years of Dedication
What attracted you to social work? It seems I always wanted to work in the social sphere. When I was an undergraduate student, it was an unpopular profession and just starting to emerge. I started working with children and young adults with disabilities by chance, even though my major was focused on children with deviant […]
Where Water Heals
We welcome Stoyan and Georgi at one of our family-type homes in Kazanlak, and the children run toward them with arms wide open for a hug. This is how our conversation begins with the two rehabilitators who work with the children and young people with disabilities from our services in the city. They often joke […]
The Voices That Carry Us Forward
The Voices That Carry Us Forward On May 19, we welcomed more than 40 friends of Cedar Foundation – donors, volunteers, and long-time supporters – to this year’s Donor Appreciation Day at Hilton Sofia. Every year, we bring this gathering to life as a way to celebrate the people who stand behind our mission: to […]
Delicious Encounters in Sunny Plovdiv
Two years ago, when Stefcho was preparing for Cupi’s Spoon, Marty started helping him in the kitchen. “We decided to give it a try and see how it would go,” says Milen Borisov, the team leader at our sheltered housing facility in Kazanlak. And what happened was that Marty started to feel very comfortable there. […]
Ice cream in Italy, dances in Zagreb, and lots and lots of laughter
Thoughts from Stani, who won the Cupi’s Spoon award in Sofia Last October, two of our young people made it to the finals of Cupi’s Spoon, an international culinary competition for people with disabilities. After winning the local round of the competition, Stani and Julian had the opportunity to travel to Zagreb, where the finals […]
The future is in my hands
Independence begins with a decision that may seem small at first glance – trying something new, believing in yourself, and taking that first step. Two of our young people from Kazanlak are embarking on this journey thanks to the project “The Future Is in My Hands,” which includes practical training in barbering and mentoring support […]
Sneaker Day – Movement and consistency for sustainable results
Friday afternoon, a grey spring day. The gym is full of people. ‘I overheard a group of young people saying they were working out for a cause today,’ a friend of CEDAR is saying. The next day, another (new) friend told us: ‘I went swimming on Friday, but I didn’t know about this campaign. Now […]