Embracing Green Spaces

Sliven, Bulgaria: April 2024

The project “Healthier, safer and greener environment for and with Roma children” continued with sessions at Bratya Miladinovi School in Sliven, Bulgaria, and also introduced a new approach to allow the children to engage with the urban environment and explore their surroundings.

In April, a class of children visited the city’s main park in the center, which features vegetation, monuments, playgrounds, podiums for ceremonies, and cafes. They learned what urban infrastructure should include and how to use and enjoy it. The success of the visit was evident in the children’s enthusiasm for returning, a request that the Foundation “For Hope” will honor in future project activities. The opportunity to step outside their typical surroundings allowed the children to interact with peers in the park, fostering social connections that help combat stereotypes and create valuable, lasting memories.

The practical experience continued in the classroom with a workshop organized by the Youth House of Sliven. The children learned how to make paper butterflies, a common sight in parks, which also helped develop their fine motor skills. Many were delighted to take their creations home as gifts for their mothers, reinforcing the connection between school and family and building confidence in the educational process.

The outcomes of these sessions and visits contributed to the development of a concept for the park to be presented to decision-makers, including the municipality of Sliven. To facilitate this process, ecologist Maria Dylovska from the municipality was invited to discuss the authorities’ efforts and their role in environmental preservation. She educated the children about local species and the importance of coexistence between people and nature, demonstrating how to plant trees, an activity they can continue as the project progresses.

All of these experiences provide small increments of knowledge that broaden the children’s horizons and perspectives, with benefits that will be visible shortly.