OSI-Bulgaria
Slatino
The
Orphanage - Personnel- Slatino
Village -
Dupnitza - Geography The
3-story orphanage building also serves as the village school. The
orphanage occupies the first two floors, and the village school is on the
third floor. The lower level of the orphanage contains the kitchen
and cafeteria, bathrooms, and a classroom for after-school study.
The second floor contains four large, dorm-style sleeping rooms and a
common room with television, stereo, and games. Conditions
at the orphanage are very poor. In its remote location, the
orphanage is seemingly more "neglected" than orphanages in the
larger towns. Conditions at the orphanage are barely livable, and
there is virtually no staff involvement with the kids who in large part
fend for themselves. Click on the
photo for a larger image... View of the front of the
orphanage building... The
main hallway upstairs, with
access to the sleeping rooms... There are four
large, dormitory-style sleeping rooms, accommodating 10-15 children
each... Dilapidated beds and wooden
cabinets for the children's belongings... All kids eat breakfast,
lunch, and dinner together in the cafeteria... A large "common
room" contains a television, stereo, and games... Hanging the clothes out to
dry...
The girls dressed in
traditional Bulgarian attire for a Bulgarian holiday... Events - Special events and excursions which OSI
has arranged for our Slatino children: July,
2004 - Day trip to SofiaLand amusement park...
The
Slatino orphanage accommodates up to 40 children, aged from 1st through
8th grade. Many of these children are "temporary"
residents, meaning that they have parents who, for various reasons, are unable to
manage their child's educational needs. For these kids, the
orphanage serves as a boarding-house, and they reside there only during
the school week. The remaining children, about 20 total, are
permanent residents at the orphanage. These children are either
orphans or "social orphans," and it is these children whom OSI
is involved with at the Slatino orphanage.
The
Orphanage
Inside
the Orphanage
Children's
Sleeping Room
Children's
Sleeping Room
Dinnertime
Common
Room
View
from the Outside
Kids
in Costume
August,
2004 - Mount Vitosha excursion...
April,
2006 - Orthodox Easter...
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Program
Site Sponsor Dennis Hoffman Dennis Hoffman is site sponsor of our Bulgaria programs. Dennis is president of CashBox, a cashiering company in the US, and is also founder of "American Charity Fund," site sponsor of our Kemerovo site in Russia. Having worked first-hand with orphans in Eastern Europe, Mr. Hoffman is a great asset to OSI's cause. |
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OSI
Program Liaison Jennifer Meleana Hee Jennifer is an American Peace Corps volunteer, serving as liaison for our entire Bulgaria program, in addition to being involved in other substantial projects for youth development. Jennifer is a graduate of Harvard University in the USA, and her knowledge, experience, and imagination are a great asset to OSI-Bulgaria. |
Slatino is a tiny old village in a picturesque location, about 15 kilometers south of Dupnitza. While the remoteness and size of Slatino is detrimental to the orphanage, the village is at least a serene environment for the children.
Click on the
photo for a larger image...
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View
of Slatino
View of Slatino from the apple-picking hill... |
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Slatino
Neighbors
Two Slatino residents threading tobacco leaves to hang for drying... |
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Hauling
Hay
Common scene in Slatino... |
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Rosi
With Cherries
Our Rosi leaving her grandmother's house with a haul of cherries... |
Our Slatino kids are within easy access of Dupnitza, the region's largest town, which is a frequent and fun escape for them. Dupnitza is an old town of about 50,000, located 60 kilometers south of Bulgaria's capital, Sofia. The Macedonian border lies nearby to the west, and the Greek border is 100 kilometers to the south. Dupnitza sits at the base of the Rila mountain range, which rises impressively and immediately from the eastern edge of town.
Traditionally, Dupnitza's economy was based on it's position in the heart of a tobacco-growing region, and it also contained numerous factories. With the fall of Communism, many of the inefficient factories were closed. The tobacco industry has also suffered significantly, and as a result Dupnitza today is economically depressed, like many other small towns in Bulgaria. There is a modern pharmaceutical plant in Dupnitza which is probably the largest employer. Many other residents spend much of the year working abroad, in western Europe, where they can earn a much better income to support their families who remain in Dupnitza.
Despite its struggling economy, Dupnitza manages to maintain a unique character. A bit shabby on the surface, it has color and flavor underneath, and it's residents have mastered the art of making a hard life as pleasant as possible. As with all of south-Europe, the chief pastime is chatting with old friends while sipping espresso at any one of the many local cafe's. Adding to Dupnitza's flavor are discrete remnants of it's history, from the Turkish mosque and governor's home, to the old clock tower that overlooks the center of town.
Click
on the photo for a larger image...
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View
of Dupnitza
View of Dupnitza from atop one of the many surrounding hills... |
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Clock
Tower
Dupnitza's ancient landmark... |
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Central
Square
Dupnitza's central square on an autumn evening... |
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Central
Square
View of the library and government administrative building... |
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Dupnitza
Center
Cafe-lined pedestrian street... |
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Dupnitza
Center
With some colorful but crumbling old architecture... |
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The
Old Mosque
Just off the central square, Dupnitza's fading remnant of Turkish times... |
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Outdoor
Market
From clothes to tools to fruits and vegetables... |
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City
Garden
A lane in Dupnitza's lovely city garden, a favorite place to take our kids for summer walks... |
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Park
One of several refurbished city parks, complete with playground, fountain, and of course a cafe... |
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"Kiril
and Metodi" Elementary School
One of several aging elementary schools in Dupnitza... |
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Springtime
View of Dupnitza
From the nearby mountainside... |
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More Maps - See more maps of Bulgaria and of the Dupnitza region... |
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The Weather in Bulgaria: |
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