email: info@OrphanageStoikite-bg.org
Tel: BG+00359 (0)895 485171
Tel: UK : +44 (0)208 133 7171

welcome to orphanage stoikite-bg
Appeal for help for the children

How (and why) it all started

This is a brief background as to how and why this Appeal came about, the key people behind it, and the determination of one woman to bring some sunshine into the lives of the Children of the Orphanage in Stoikite:

Amanda's story: When I was seven years old there was a tragedy in my family and I was very briefly placed in care with a foster parent. I was fostered by a lady with long black hair (I called her "the witch") who also had a daughter my age. One day she bought some candy and lots of treats and handed them to her daughter and, as any kid would do, I asked “please may I have a candy”. I was standing at the top of the stairs, feeling very sad as I missed my family so much when the lady ran up the stairs and took hold of me by my hair.

She told me to be quiet and go back to my room. I said “I want my mummy” and began to cry loudly. She then slapped me so hard on my back that I tumbled all the way to the bottom. I screamed and called her a witch and said “when I get a big girl I will look after children and share my candy and be a nice lookerafterer". I was not really hurt physically but mentally I was really hurting. I don’t know exactly how long I stayed with that family, but believe it was just a couple of days, and eventually returned home to grieve with my family. I never spoke to anyone about what happened that day until I was an adult but the memory of that day has remained with me and will always be imprinted in my head.

At the age of 18, which was many moons ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I thought I knew everything. I owned my own home and lived a comfortable life so I applied to foster children but unfortunately was turned down due to my young age. This did not deter me and at 23 years of age I passed the Panel and fostered the first of many - two children Lee and Natalie, twelve year old twins. The first thing I did was share a big bag of candy with them. This became a pattern in our life and children came and children went. (I also worked in Romania between 1987 and 1989 where I was arrested for helping in the orphanages).

I then adopted children and had four of my own so we now have 15 children. Almost all of them have flown the nest now and I am a Proud Grandma of 1.5 children, number 2 being due next year. Doug and I are fun loving people and both love children. As the children slowly flew the nest one by one, leaving only five dependants at home, we felt a void in our lives but after becoming grandparents we did not think it would be right to take on any more as our own.

For about 6 years I frequently visited Bulgaria and 18 months ago we took the plunge and moved to Bulgaria full time. My house in Stoikite, which has been the family home for several years, is very near to the Orphanage and I got to know about the Orphanage and its children over the course of time. Visiting and helping the children filled the void in my life and I was very aware of the conditions and needs of these children and wanted to do something about it. When I found out that the orphanage was to remain open I was desperate to help make a difference to ease the discomfort of the children and give them better living conditions.

This prompted me to start making posts to the MyBG forum asking for help and now, with the help of Carole and Andie, we are slowly beginning to raise monies for warm clothing, schooling articles and last, but no means least, to raise sufficient money to have heating in the Orphanage. We are driven by the plight of these children and our sole aim is that we will do anything to make sure that these children will not have to suffer a further winter with little or no heat. This is my story x. -

20 December 2007 - This morning I walked through the cold, draughty dirty doors of the orphanage bearing food and fruit, the children shout announcing my arrival, they run all excited to great me, giving hugs and kisses, excited little faces. I don't understand how these children can smile living in these conditions, only 2 staff that sit in their office, doors closed to keep the heat to themselves. The resident Peace Core worker is with the children, trying her best with the 40 children housed here, but she is alone with no one else to entertain the children. The children follow me as I take pictures, damp beds, little bed linens, nowhere to dry the clothes, no lighting that works, frost on the inside of the windows, no hot water, communal showers with no privacy, no soap, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, towels, toilet paper, no warm clothing, these children live in dirty freezing conditions.

There are few radiators but they do not function. This institute is desperate for a new heating system and glass for the windows. there is nothing to entertain the children housed here. As a take pictures my hands go numb with the bitter cold and I am inside the building. I give chase to the children up and down the corridors their laughter is loud, this warms us all. No lock on toilet doors this is so degrading for the children. The children suffer from chapped skin and broken and chapped lips due to the cold. I bang at the pipes to get water in the showers, little happens, the children are scared to shower as the winter is cold and they would freeze if they remove their clothing, besides no soap, shampoo, nothing. I was not supposed to take pictures of the children but took a couple. Please see my pictures of this Institute and spare a thought for these children, cold with little to do. I ensure the children are fed well, the children need warmth and a little happiness, so please help me and give warm clothing. I would like to raise monies for a new heating system and much more, but so far I have had little help.

orphanage in stoikite, pamporovo, bulgaria
Copyright © 2007 Andie Musson