On April 7, 2025, the first children’s playground in Sofia’s Fakulteta neighborhood—“Charlene’s Garden”—was officially opened. The event took place in the presence of representatives from Sofia Municipality, Krasna Polyana district, donors, partner organizations, and many children and families from the community.
With the opening of this new facility, over 3,000 children in the neighborhood now have access to a safe and inspiring space to play, learn, and socialize—something that had been missing from the area until now.
From Idea to Reality
The playground project was implemented by the Trust for Social Achievement Foundation (TSA), made possible by a generous donation from the MacDougal Family Foundation in memory of Charlene MacDougal—wife of Gary MacDougal, Honorary Co-Chair of the Bulgarian-American Enterprise Fund and the America for Bulgaria Foundation.
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Additional funding was provided through the “Sofia Chooses Green 2022” program of Sofia Municipality. The project “DVORA – Playground and Community Space in Fakulteta” ranked 4th out of 38 proposals thanks to active public voting.
Collaboration and Community Engagement
The initiative came to life through a partnership between TSA, the Krasna Polyana district, and the Health and Social Development Foundation (HESED), which will be responsible for maintaining the playground after the launch. Construction and landscaping were carried out in collaboration with the district administration.
The local community played an active role in the design process. Through activities at HESED’s MIR Center, children and their parents helped select the playground’s design and equipment. Later, children participated in painting the space, turning the project into a shared dream that was brought to life.
A Celebration for All
The opening was marked with a festive ceremony and a children’s program, turning the event into a true neighborhood celebration. The smiles, laughter, and excitement of the children filled Charlene’s Garden with life and symbolically marked the beginning of a new era for the community—one with more opportunities, more care, and more space for play.
Charlene’s Garden would not have been possible without the support of:
MacDougal Family Foundation
Victor and Nancy Schiller Foundation
Sofia Municipality
Krasna Polyana District
Baumit Bulgaria EOOD
Vanya Slavcheva, Artist