This project is part of an Initiative for support of vulnerable families to overcome difficulties in the context of the pandemic. It is implemented under the We Care project, aiming to improve infant and maternal health outcomes of Roma communities in Bulgaria. Within the Initiative, the TSA supports 295 families from 8 locations in Bulgaria. Designed in two phases, the Initiative includes:
- Provision of direct support to low-income families with children up to 3 years old;
- Advocacy for sustainable solutions in long-term: improvement of policies and social measures in support of most excluded families and young children;
- Community participation
The project is situated in the “Fakulteta” neighborhood in Sofia. HESED has been actively working to support the community there so they deal with the negative effects of COVID-19 and limit the spread of the infection inside and outside the community. Most negatively affected in the region are groups that find it difficult to cope with raising children at an early age anyway - single-parent families, large families with a baby who is at risk of malnutrition, children raised by relatives and friends, families with a poor health condition. The foundation aims at supporting 30 families at risk.
Key Project Activities:
- Direct support to low-income families and infants – provision of specific products to address identified urgent needs of pregnant women and children up to 3 years for the period of 4 months, with a budget of 40 BGN per family - provision of drugs, based on medical prescription; food packages in support of regular and adequate nutrition; masks, disinfectants, and other hygienic agents; daily care products for infants, etc.;
- Covering costs related to accessing health services during pregnancy of uninsured pregnant women (payment of medical examination, including test costs in case of complication during pregnancy of uninsured women, living in poverty);
- Raising awareness on preventative measures for protection from the pandemic;;
- Advocacy, community empowerment and participation.