On April 29th, in the village of Dalgo Pole, a small community project was organized by Zyumbyula Lambova, a participant in the TSA scholarship and mentorship programs within the framework of Active Citizens Fund Bulgaria, and supported by her mentor, prof. Ani Kevorkyan.
Zyumbyula is from Dalgo Pole, Plovdiv region. She is in her first year as a Medical Assistant student at the Medical University of Plovdiv. Having graduated from the Unified School "Hristo Botev" and gained a year of university knowledge, Zyumbyula wanted to give back to her community by organizing a small initiative. She chose topics such as hand hygiene and protection against ticks and related diseases. She noticed that these subjects are rarely discussed, and she knows that hands are the primary transport medium for microorganisms. Zyumbyula shared that Dalgo Pole is at a low altitude, and ticks are common there, making it crucial for both young and old to know how to protect themselves. Zyumbyula managed to capture her audience's attention during the event by sharing surprising facts about ticks.
According to her, the most memorable moment was the “Clean Hands” dance. Despite the late afternoon hour, everyone was full of energy, dancing happily with clean, disinfectant-covered hands. Zyumbyula believes the initiative was an absolute success, judging by the interest and active participation of the students, who answered questions and felt comfortable enough to ask their own. She thinks initiatives like this not only help in learning new things but also in developing teamwork and communication skills. The fact that the participants know her and how she reached this point in her life would motivate them even more, something she sincerely hopes for.
The success of Zyumbyula's small community project is proof that if you want to engage someone's attention, it is most effective when it comes from someone within the community. People are more inclined to listen to new information when the person sharing it understands them and their environment and knows what issues are truly relevant to the community.