We, in the Childrens’ house we measure in days the return of a child’s childhood. We found that 6 months is the time when a frightened, sad, silent, malnourished, hidden, lost child acquires an irresistible smile, self-confidence, confidence, curiosity, incessant chatter, and inherent playfulness.

Eli came to us on November 7, 2020, at midnight, with his older brother and sister. Only two large frightened eyes could be seen behind the chair behind which he hid. For weeks she hardly spoke, played alone somewhere aside, hid under the bed from every stranger who entered the house. She had no idea about colors, shapes, fruits, vegetables, flowers, animals, seasons, days of the week.

She could barely speak intelligibly, she hadn’t heard of Santa Claus and Grandma Martha, she had no idea what a birthday, a name day, a holiday was … To her, the world was a scary, dark place from which she preferred to hide. In six months in our orphanage, Eli grew by 4 years and 6 months!

Learn that it’s nice to have your own room and bed, your own clothes and toys. With pleasure enjoys morning dress, evening shower, choice of clothes and hairstyles, painting, modeling, application, cooking, serving, shopping, singing, dancing. Eli celebrates for the first time in the house his name day, friend’s birthday, Christmas and New Year, Baba Marta, March 3, First Spring.

She can no longer wait to go to the kindergarten, where she is enrolled, and impatiently explains to Dr. Stancheva that she is not afraid of injections, because otherwise she will not be taken to the kindergarten. She loves her sessions with Alex (the psychologist from St. Sofia Center) and Ani (the speech therapist from Happy Childhood Center), she is the first to get dressed and put on shoes for the children’s yoga classes in the Day Center and every morning she is interested in what we have planned for the day. – A visit to a children’s salt room, an exhibition of dragons, a puppet show, or something new that she has not tried.

For 6 months of care in the Children’s House, the diligence and attention of the specialists from our various services, and the love of the babysitters Eli opened her childhood, smiled at him, and celebrated her 4 years and 6 months every day.

Mariana Sokolova

Head of Childrens’ House