In 2018, after the March campaign of Xplora, Intellect and Weave Heat, we raised BGN 400 from sold martenitsas, which we created for one morning. We decided that the collected funds will be donated in the form of cleaning products (of which the home was most in need) to a home for the elderly in the village of Bohot.

Somewhere out there – in nothing – 20 km. from Pleven we found an old building full of smiling people. We went up to the building, which is very reminiscent of a hospital. There were 7-8 elderly people sitting in the lobby, some of them over 85 years old.

The story is almost the same for everyone. “Come and show you my children, child. They don’t live in Bulgaria. You know how successful they are, here are pictures of my grandchildren.” … You see the tears in Grandma G.’s eyes. You fight not to cry too. You wonder if the tears you see are out of pride or sadness. There is no way to understand. Although there – abandoned – they have their human dignity, which they defend to the last. One of the women who takes care of them told us about the grief they experience when their user leaves. The grief they experience is no different than the grief of losing a loved one.

“We are one family. Each of these people here is a part of me,” said Aunt V. “I often have to give of my own money to buy basic necessities.”