Free Medical Access for Teenage Mothers, Bulgaria

Five years ago, we embarked on a journey to create a space where essential healthcare services can be within reach for vulnerable mothers and babies in Sofia. Today, we proudly celebrate the 5th anniversary of the medical center in Fakulteta - a place where health, hope, and community meet.

From its inception, the medical center has been more than just a healthcare facility—it has been a beacon of compassion, inclusivity, and resilience. In the past five years, the medical center has welcomed more than a thousand kids and parents, offering accessible and highly-critical medical services that are vital to the well-being of the community, especially its children.

From its get-go, the medical center was equipped and kept running with private donations and the goodwill of the doctors who provided time, expertise and emotional support to their patients and the team behind the center. Thank you and happy birthday to all who donated - you have touched the lives of more than a thousand people by making it possible for them to receive key medical care! We then vouched that together, we will make sure that no child or pregnant woman is left behind and we will continue our journey alongside them.

Fakulteta neighborhood has a population of approximately 40 000 and according to some estimations, it is the neighborhood with the largest number of children in Sofia. Currently, there is only one general practitioner seeing patients, present twice a week in Fakulteta neighborhood. This means that, without the medical center and the doctors who see patients there, a vast part of the moms and babies would remain without any medical support.

The dedicated doctors and the team of the Health and Social Development Foundation on whose premises the center is located, make sure that everyone who walks through the doors receives the care and follow-up support they deserve, regardless of background or circumstances. Together, they have provided regular pediatric checks for the babies, while the pregnant women and young moms had easier access to prenatal checks and family planning and contraception support thanks to the presence of an ob-gyn in the neighborhood. The medical center also became a place for support on chronic disease management and health education, empowering the members of the community to take control of their health.

But this journey has not been ours alone. The trust, strength, and spirit of the Roma community have been at the heart of everything. In a situation of severe doctor shortages, attracting doctors willing to work with the most vulnerable members of the community has not been easy and will continue to be a challenge.

The superstar doctors Bozhkova, Poptodorov and Veselinov provided ob-gyn checks and support over these 5 years while Dr Tanya Andreeva and Dr Krasimira Baynova were there for the babies and kids in need of pediatric care.

In these 5 years, the doctors and health professionals at the medical center held more than 1000 examination and supported:

Trayanka & her baby

Dani & her hero baby-boy

Maggie & her premature baby Zdravko and his siblings

Salina and baby Radoslav

Slavka and her baby

Toni and her two kids

Little Yana and her dad

Nadka and her daughter

Sofia & her kids

and more than a thousand other patients

As we reflect on the past five years, we also look ahead with hope and determination. Our commitment to breaking down barriers to healthcare, fostering understanding, and promoting health equity remains stronger than ever. Together, we will continue to build a healthier, more inclusive future for everyone in this community.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Here’s to many more years of health, hope, and strong community!

Your support has been and will continue to be indispensable for the health of the poorest mums and kids of an already vulnerable community. Please consider donating and sharing with friends and family this festive season so we can continue our journey to a healthier future!

If you wish to be even closer to the life and work of our organization, please consider subscribing to our newsletter, at the bottom of our homepage - https://socialachievement.org/en/

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Dear supporters,

We're sharing with you the story of a young family - Salina and Stoil and their baby Radoslav - who are one of many that your support has reached.

Radoslav is two months old, the first child in the family, expected and wanted. Both his parents have completed their secondary education and are working – his father is a taxi driver, and his mom – a hairdresser and beautician. Salina's pregnancy was monitored regularly. Despite that, she had high blood pressure throughout the pregnancy and Radoslav was born prematurely with a c-section.

Two months later, the baby is doing well and both he and his mom are recovering quickly. Visiting the medical center, which your contributions support, has turned out to be crucial for his health. It has allowed them to have regular check-ups and consultations to monitor Radoslav’s development, as their personal doctor is a general practitioner and not a pediatrician. The accessibility of the medical center in their neighborhood is also vital. The consultations with Dr Baynova in this crucial period are invaluable for the young family, as being prematurely born, Radoslav is at risk of developmental delay. We extend our gratitude to her for ensuring that dozens of babies like Radoslav have a healthy childhood, and we also thank you, for helping us sustain the medical center without which these consultations would hardly be possible.

Here at TSA we're having a busy summer with the 5th-year anniversary of the medical center approaching (and next time you hear from us will be in honor of that!) and with our summer donation campaign celebrating life - read more about this here. https://socialachievement.org/en/what-we-do/news-and-publications/news/mom-baby-donation-appeal/505/                            

Thank you!