Competition ''Creating Good'' - for young people in difficult financial circumstances who would like to enroll in a university

Organizers: The competition is jointly organized by Milostiv - a platform for charity and social work, the Blagorodna Badeva Foundation, Association for Modern Culture and Vaska Glushkova

Period: 16 оctober 2014 г. - 21 аpril 2015 г.

Media: БНР, Информационна агенция ФОКУС, Културни новини, actualno.com, wishbox.org

Интервюта:
* 21.04.2015 - Разговор на д-р Деворина Гамалова с журналистката Лили Големинова, радио Хоризонт
* 21.04.2015 - Разговор на Радослав Кирков с журналистката Кармен Манукян, радио Хоризонт
* 03.03.2015 - Разговор на д-р Деворина Гамалова с журналистката Татяна Иванова, радио Хоризонт
* 01.01.2015 - Разговор на Нина Панчева-Киркова с журналистката Кармен Манукян, радио Хоризонт

Description:
This competition category aims to enable young people in difficult financial circumstances to take part in the ''Creating Good'' competition (en.milostiv.org/dobrotvorchestvo). The aim is to help young people who would like to enroll in a university, but do not have the financial means to do so. The participants are invited to submit a letter of motivation containing responses to the following questions:

Why do I want to get a university degree? What would I like to major in? What kind of profession would I like to enter upon graduation? How will higher education help me?

For young people who are already enrolled at a university the first two questions are as follows: Why did I decide to study at a university? Why did I select this particular major?

Eventhough over the last two years the number of children in foster care homes has declined by 22%, at the moment around 4 200 children in Bulgaria still live in such institutions. In addition there are thousands of poor young people and those growing up in socially challenging circumstances. We, the organizers, believe that all children have the right to a good education, which will give them a chance for a decent life and career. The main criterion should be their abilities and motivation to study and develop themselves, rather than their financial and social status. A proof of this point can be found in the example set by a multitude of noteworthy Bulgarians throughout our history. They realized their personal responsibility for their fellow men and society and were glad to help and contribute. One of these examples is Raiko Tsonchev, whose father died when he was a kid and he could not afford to even buy a textbook, yet subsequently he learned a trade, became well off and donated a large sum for the construction of a school and a church. In “Encyclopaedia of Charity” hundreds of cases are described of people who donated part of their own savings to assist the education of children in Bulgaria. Realising their personal responsibility for society, each of them has donated according to their means, from a scholarship for a student to huge sums to build schools and universities. The most significant act of this type is the construction of the University of Sofia made possible by the donation of brothers Evlogy and Christo Georgiev. In his will Evlogy Georgiev wrote: „Only my hope that I too can contribute to the wellbeing and greatness of my fatherland, helps me die in peace“.

Awards

Two types of awards – one-year scholarship and once-off cash awards.

Scholarship - 1200 levs

A ten-month scholarship of 100 levs per month and once-off 200 levs for buying textbooks will be donated in October 2015 to the first nominated participants who have been accepted or continue to study for a university degree. At the moment funds are available for four scholarships, but we hope that with the help of additional donors we will be able to support more participants in the competition.

Once-off award

• First place: 300 levs
• Second place: 200 levs
• Third place: 100 levs

Application requirements

Requirements

To participate in the competition you need to meet the following three conditions:

• You are a young person with financially difficult circumstances or social challenges (raised by lone parents, foster homes or foster parents, or a young person with disability).
• You are at most 21 years old bulgarian.
• You intend to apply to a university in 2015 or are already enrolled at a university.

Deadlines

28.02.2015 - deadline for submission of applications.
Please email your application at studenti.dobrotvorchestvo@gmail.com with the following information:
1. Contact details
Full name as in passport, еmail and telephone number for contact.

2. Motivation letter
The letter must contain responses to the 4 questions specified above with text length between 500 and 1000 words (around 1 - 2 pages).

3. Highschool education diploma
A copy of the highschool education diploma. Grade average of 4,50 is required. If you are a university student at the time of application you will also need a copy of your courses and grades transcript.

4. A document to verify that you have financially challenging circumstances

• If you have lived or now live in a state foster care home or with foster parents please send us a note to verify that.
• If you have financial difficulties, please send us:
  • Birth certificate copy and a copy of birth certificates of siblings under 18 if any;
  • Parents income/salary slips or statement for the last 6 months;
  • If one of your parents has passed away a death certificate;
  • If one of your parents is unemployed, note from the Labour agency he is certified in the Employment agency.
• If you are disable please send a copy of disability document from TELK/NELK.

30.09.2015 - deadline for submission of university acceptance letter or university course transcript;
15.10.2015 - payment of first month of scholarship (scholarships will be payed in 4 installments or every month by agreement of donor and student);

Selection

Selection panel

The selection panel chairperson is Vaska Glushkova.

Members of the selection panel:

• Simeon Jordanov
• Radost Konyarska

Selection criteria

• Meeting all conditions for participation.
• High level of motivation to study and realise skills as a specialist.

Results:

На 21 април в галерия „България” на Софийска филхармония се проведе награждаването на национален конкурс „Добротворчество”. Събитието съчета гала-концерт на финалистите в раздела за млади музиканти и откриване на изложбата на избраните творби в раздела за млади художници. Васка Глушкова връчи наградите на победителите в тази категория.

Победители

• Първа награда и стипендия (1500 лв) - Николай Койчев - Решен съм да бъда учител
• Втора награда и стипендия (1400 лв) - Рада Николаева Бонева - Защо искам да уча още чужди езици?
• Трета награда и стипендия (1300 лв) - Мирослав Андонов - Мечтая да стана добър счетоводител и да открия собствена счетоводна къща
• Стипендия (1200 лв) - Нели Начева - Бих искала да допринеса за изграждането на едно по-добро бъдеще
• Стипендия (1200 лв) - Радостина Тричкова - Защо уча специалност “Социална педагогика”?
• Стипендия (775 лв) - Екатерина – Виктория В. Миронова - Дори да нямам какво да ям, стремежът ми към знание, няма да угасне
• Стипендия (775 лв) - Лолита Артюхова - Превърни хобито си в професия и няма да имаш и един работен ден до края на живота си
• Награда (200 лв) - Ралица Станева - Пътнико, пътища няма. Пътища се правят с ходене!

Честито на победителите! Искаме да изкажем благодарност на дарителите и доброволците, които ни помогнаха да осъществим тази инициатива. Може да видите техните имена от тук.