Prof.Dr.Assen Zlatarov Orphanage
Haskovo, Bulgaria

-------The orphanage was established in 1924 as an institution intended to provide home for children under the age of 18. It is named after Prof.Dr.Assen Zlatarov, a prominent citizen of Haskovo whose contributions in the fields of mathematics and chemistry are nationally recognized. At the beginning, the institution served as a home for children who had lost one or both of their parents, but over the years, concurrently with the increasing need for a place where not only orphans could find shelter, the orphanage has transformed to the last resort for abandoned children as well as children of families with significant financial problems.

-------Currently, 93 children from different backgrounds call the orphanage home. The diversity of the dwellers represents the variety of ethnic groups in the region. Bulgarian, Roma, and Turkish children live together under the guidance of 28 people staff. Even though all the children are enrolled in public schools, 15 educators with completed college education assist them with their school homework and endeavor to create a family atmosphere. Despite the unequal start in life, the children prove to be successful. Already nine of them have been admitted to colleges and universities in Bulgaria, and all of them return to the place where they spent their childhood years to help their younger friends.

-------The state and the municipality provide financial assistance for the orphanage, but the increased need of resources requires the administration to seek alternative ways of raising money in order to ensure that the orphanage meets the needs of the inhabitants. A large part of the funds available to the institution is due to the contributions of local businesses and private sponsors. Even though their help is significant and vital, most of the time it is sporadic and initiated by charity campaigns designed by the staff of the orphanage.