"The hope for change towards something better is never scratched off like a lottery ticket – it is built step-by-step” – dozens of young people subscribe to this maxim driven by the desire to contribute to the society they are part of.

Convinced that dreams are dreams to become reality a group of enthusiasts have set up the Ideas Factory Association which relies fully on volunteering and ideas with a potential for development. The members of Ideas Factory argue that there is a steady trend of more young people willing to leave cities and move in villages. This has prompted the initiative Baba Residence (Grandma Residence). It aims to encourage more people to return to villages.

One of the association’s most active volunteers is MilitsaDzhandzhova. She explains that Baba Residence has been organized for a fourth year running in different villages of Bulgaria. This year’s campaign has been the strongest so far – and with the biggest number of participants.

„This project is one of the most popular initiatives of Ideas Factory, because it corresponds to the need of present-day urban folk to reconnect with nature, look for inspiration in the resources stored in villages – way of life, folklore, healthy food, serenity etc.,” Militsa Dzhandzhova says and adds:

„It is a phenomenon today that increasingly, young people have been trying to look for their roots and connect with the values that village life provides. They study village resources such as folklore, traditions and even subsistence. I think this phenomenon has been prompted by technological progress. We as an organization have taken part in various international forums and I can see that this is a global trend. In Bulgaria this process is accelerated due to concentration of life in cities which creates deficits in the way of life. Every year the situation becomes more dramatic – technology is generous to urban people; it creates convenience and makes living easier. However, the hectic rhythm of life, the use of devices and cars deprive urban dwellers of oxygen, good quality food and serenity which are still a reality in villages. The multicultural influence in cities alienates people from genuine human values and from authentic communication. In big cities contacts are made easily but the warmth of communication is lacking. Building of trust and closeness have been neglected in the recent years, or at least so it seems. All this has prompted young people to go back to villages more often. We are aware of the lack of communication between generations and of the need of continuity between them. Along with this we realize that we have been losing a distinct human need – to learn more about us through communication with other people.”

On a day-to-day basis the volunteers from Baba Residence assist the households which have provided accommodation to them. They also carry out volunteer initiatives to the benefit of the respective village. „The small community evokes  the curiosity of the urban man and he becomes a focused researcher of the place and of everything that he comes across during his stay,” saysMilitsa Dzhandzhova:

„This year has been very dynamic at Ideas Factory and especially where Baba Residence Initiative is concerned, because the project unfolded in three villages – Kliment, Voynyagovo and Karavelovo, Southern Bulgaria. We had many volunteers and luckily local housewives responded proportionately to provide to them accommodation for a one month. This necessitated the extension of the campaign so that we could attract more participants willing to get closer to village life. We had very interesting applications from people involved professionally in trainings, from economists, architects and film directors, all willing to be useful to villages. We selected 12 residents whom we distributed in the three villages. They are aged from 18 to 40.

Well, their stay is not at all like holidays; it is a mission to which the young person is committed in a bid to come in touch with the diverse village life. Our idea is to collect a few daring and practical ideas to benefit recipient villages. The ultimate goal is to help them develop their economic potential for the sake of a better future.”

English Daniela Konstantinova