WWO 2023 Impact Report Final - Flipbook - Page 14
BULGARIA
Established 2009
2,129 TOTAL BENEFICIARIES
1,354 CHILDREN
203 PARENTS
70 PARTNER STAFF
502 TEACHERS TRAINED
42 COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS
1 CENTER for DISPLACED UKRAINIAN FAMILIES
6 CENTERS for AT-RISK CHILDREN & FAMILIES
9 CENTERS for CHILDREN with DISABILITIES
9 COMMUNITY CULTURAL CENTERS
4 EDUCATIONAL CENTERS for VULNERABLE CHILDREN
2 HOSPITALS
8 KINDERGARTENS
1 ORPHANAGE
2 SCHOOLS
In Bulgaria 22% of the popula琀椀on is living in poverty. The
majority of these families iden琀椀fy as Roma. Many Roma
families choose to keep their young children home, not
sending them to school un琀椀l age six for 1st grade. When
children enter the classroom, they are o昀琀en unfamiliar with
the structure and rules and unable to understand or speak
Bulgarian. As children move through the school system, the
gap o昀琀en widens leaving children and their families frustrated,
feeling s琀椀gma琀椀zed and o昀琀en leading parents to withdraw their
children from formal learning.
In 2023, WWO Bulgaria focused on three main priori琀椀es: providing direct
support to vulnerable children in early childhood learning spaces through
partnerships, developing the capacity of professionals through a dedicated team of
trainers, and advoca琀椀ng for improvements in early educa琀椀on and care policies in
Bulgaria. WWO is dedicated to fostering environments conducive to both play and
educa琀椀onal development. Our e昀昀orts involve training professionals working with
children, equipping partner organiza琀椀ons with tailored programs and resources, and
educa琀椀ng parents on the importance of early childhood development.
A signi昀椀cant milestone in 2023 was the capacity-building ini琀椀a琀椀ve for kindergarten
teachers, preparing them for the adop琀椀on of the Na琀椀onal Quality Framework for
Early Childhood Educa琀椀on and Care. WWO Bulgaria conducted workshops across
six se琀琀lements, introducing the WWO Element of Play® curriculum and facilita琀椀ng
discussions on its alignment with European Quality Framework standards. This
ini琀椀a琀椀ve not only empowered teachers but also enabled them to earn accredited
Con琀椀nuing Educa琀椀on Credits through our training.
This marks a pivotal moment in valida琀椀ng the e昀昀ec琀椀veness of our Element of
Play® program, as it gains o昀케cial recogni琀椀on and paves the way for its widespread
implementa琀椀on in early childhood learning environments throughout Bulgaria.
WWO Bulgaria also takes pride in its ongoing commitment to support displaced
Ukrainian families at our Learning Space in So昀椀a.
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