In Gotse Delchev, Bulgaria, many Roma families find themselves trapped in poverty. A lack of education and very few job opportunities means that even the most hard- working and determined among them struggle to get by.
Gergana, 30, lives in a village just outside Gotse Delchev in Bulgaria. A single mother to Georgi, 12, and Victor, two, she has no qualifications and struggled to find a job that enabled her to provide for her children. Her home was half-finished and needed repairs, and it was a continual struggle to cover even basic needs.
“Gergana is a loving mother and she’d always dreamed of offering her family a secure future, where they had everything they needed. Unfortunately, circumstances didn’t work out. Making ends meet was become increasingly difficult.”
Ventsislav works for Mission Without Borders (MWB) supporting families living in poverty – and when Gergana’s family was enrolled on the family sponsorship programme, they began receiving food and hygiene parcels and other support. Georgi was thrilled when he had the chance to go summer camp and have lots of fun with other children his age.
In the meantime, Ventsislav couldn’t help but notice how skilled Gergana was at growing crops. She comes from an agricultural family that has worked the land for many generations.
MWB provided the family with Seeds of Hope: packets of seeds that give families the opportunity to grow healthy produce to supplement their diet with fresh vegetables.
Ventsislav said, “Gergana’s family has a large courtyard where they grow lettuce, tomatoes, and other crops. I was impressed because the courtyard was never uncultivated, and every single meter of soil was planted with different seeds.”
He also noted the limitations of the set-up, adding, “They couldn’t produce vegetables all year round, and they had no vision to sell their produce in the market.”
Gergana plants a new crop in her greenhouse