Together, we can create better stories about Bulgaria

“This is one of the best and most important events we are taking part in,” said BDB’s Chief Economist Iliya Lingorski, who received the award on behalf of the bank, at the official ceremony.

For many years, our partnership with a charity organization allows us to write better stories about Bulgaria together. Since 2021, they have been associated with a new program of SOS Children's Villages: Starting an Independent Life, that aims to support the first steps of young people from SOS in their independent life after they become 18 and leave the homes or their foster families. This project helps young people find a job and a home and provides them with financial support to continue their education. Help is of key importance at that stage in life since the formal end of the support within the family does not take into account the degree of economic independence and social maturity of a young person.

BDB joined the program by “adopting” and providing an annual allowance to Reneta Punzarova, Yordanka Chotrova and Todorka Veleva. The three girls are studying for higher education: Reneta - Computer Science in the Veliko Tarnovo University St. Cyril and St. Methodius, Yordanka - Food and Tourism in the University of Food Technologies - Plovdiv, and Todorka - Cultural Studies in Sofia University. They are doing great at examinations, they are working and are participating in youth volunteer initiatives of SOS Children’s Villages. We hope to create together their successful stories about the beginning of independent life, as well as to do so for other Bulgarian children and young people.