Despite the crisis and the fact that Bulgarians continue to be the poorest in EU, charity is still alive. Proof of this are the results of the fourth donation campaign "Choose to Help" organized by Raiffeisenbank with the media partnership of electronic and print media, including the Bulgarian National Radio.

The bottom line for the past 2012 is that because the campaign collected over 313,000 Leva (about 157,000 euro). Nearly 70 percent of them are donated to health projects. The campaign socially supported 23 charity projects of NGOs in the following areas: healthcare, culture and education, ecological and social projects. Most funds were raised by the project of the Clinic of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at the St. Marina Hospital in Varna for the purchase of medical equipment, supplies and medications. It is followed by the project of the Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation for treatment and therapy of children with various diseases. Since the launch of the first campaign until now, our charitable initiative has supported over a hundred ventures with nearly 1.5 million leva, said Momchil Andreev, Chairman and CEO of Raiffeisenbank. We learn more about the motivation of donors from Polya Kirova, bank employee: 

“Despite the crisis, one can always pay some money, as much as they afford, to support the charity. This campaign is another proof that people commit to causes and grow a strong interest in them. The campaigns are not limited among the employees of Raiffeisenbank only. They are supported by people of different ages and with different professions. I myself as a mother support first the campaigns aimed at gifted children and at children in need of care and attention. Any such campaign reveals human lives, and the act of donating makes you happy and compassionate”. Among the projects supported in the social sphere is the one of the Society for All Association, working to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities, children at risk and children with disabilities. One of the major projects implemented by the Association is the construction of a Complex for social services for children with disabilities in the village of Dalbok Dol in the municipality of Troyan. The complex consists of three social institutions: a day-care center for children with disabilities with a capacity for ten children, a center for family-type accommodation with for fourteen kids and a protected home for 12 children. Thirty-six children with disabilities benefit from the services of the complex. The main objectives of the social work in this case focus on creating equal opportunities in the education of children with disabilities and career choices according to their individual interests."

English version: Rossitsa Petcova