Annual Report 2017 Social Development
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ANNUAL REPORT 2017 Social Development Content 1. Letter from the Executive Director ............................................... 2 2. Developing local communities for a better life ....................... 4 2.1. Social Development ...................................................................... 7 2.2. Innovations in Education .............................................................. 23 2.3. Philanthropy development ........................................................... 38 2.4. Support for the talent ................................................................. 46 2.5. Support for NGOs ....................................................................... 53 3. Donors and Partners ................................................................... 58 4. Structure and team .................................................................... 64 5. Finance ......................................................................................... 65 2 Letter from the Executive Director • Annual report 2017 Letter from the Executive Director We are living in a more and more divided society tions and perspectives as well as to strengthen com- with respect to values, where active citizens with munities’ resilience in the unprecedentedly changing expertise and knowledge in the fields they are work- local and global circumstances. NGOs play a key role ing for, form the grassroots of civic organizations and in preserving the values of democracy and are op- civil society. They are the people who support the posing vehemently any attempts to limit civil rights values of an open, inclusive and pluralistic society. and freedoms. Civil society organizations also work The civil society organizations that we most often for the change of attitudes and mentalities, they cul- refer to as NGOs through their work contribute to the tivate knowledge and skills in younger generations, creation of social capital that is the prerequisite for influence the new elites and work in partnership with sustainable development and social justice. Usually state institutions while very often questioning the ef- Iliana Nikolova, the NGOs are the first ones to react when there is fectiveness of their policies, probate alternative ap- a threat to the environment, human rights, including Executive Director, WCIF proaches and play the role of correctives. the rights of children, women, refugees or any other Why am I telling you all this? Because this is a de- vulnerable group. NGOs propose local solutions to scription of the work of Workshop for Civic Initiatives global problems in a democratic and inclusive manner Foundation /WCIF/ presented through just a bit of and in this way mobilize local and external resources. the activities that our grantees perform. WCIF can- NGOs and private donors work together in order to not fulfil all these activities on its own. That’s why find opportunities, to channel resources and create a WCIF is the donor, facilitator, protagonist and source positive social change. Thanks to the efforts of these of inspiration for people from small NGOs who organizations problems are resolved that for one or generate social capital, the heroes who every hour another reason are not within the scope of public work for social change, the persons who are social- institutions. NGOs are engines of social progress ly engaged every single day and their empathy and because of their abilities to consolidate various posi- solidarity with the people from vulnerable groups 3 Letter from the Executive Director • Annual report 2017 change lives for the better; social entrepreneurs who tant initiatives. Our efforts were noticed and recog- WCIF continued to be one of the few organizations improve their communities and work with inspiration nized. Together with Eurofootball we won the prize providing not only financial support for the civil sec- for local cultural, social and economic development; for best partnership between business and NGO of tor. In 2017 we organized initiatives for learning and teachers who change education and inspire their stu- the annual awards „Biggest corporate donor“ of the exchange of good practices among the stakeholders dents; parents who study together with their chil- Bulgarian Donors Forum. The prize is awarded on in the sector. The Foundation continued to provide dren; young people who develop leadership skills the basis of votes of the organization’s members and access to technological resources for the develop- and competences; people from local communities is given for the “Sports talents” program that WCIF ment of civil organizations and strengthened their united together for the wellbeing of these commu- and the bookmaker are implementing together since capacity by providing new technological tools and nities. The moderate financial support provided by 2012. In 2017 WCIF was also ranked first as the or- solutions. WCIF is important for these people (according to a ganization with largest number of publications on the All this would not have happened without the sup- survey carried out by Open Society Institute (OSI) NGO Portal. port, confidence and generosity of our donors, part- most of the active NGOs in the country are small We found a new reliable partner in the face of Lidl ners, friends, co-workers, the members and volun- organizations with limited financial resources for car- Bulgaria. The company accepted the challenge to teers of our grantees. It would not have happened rying out their activities and for 2016 the average support social change based on the assumption that without the involvement of the Board of Trustees turnover of these organizations is less than 20 000 citizens are not passive consumers, but active partic- and the hard work of the team. Sincere thanks for BGN.) Yet, our support is important because it is very ipants in the development and shaping the environ- the backing and guidance, for the challenges that we rare in our society and because social responsibility ment in which they live and their active involvement were faced with. and engagement is demonstrated predominantly by for the improving of quality of life in the communities private donors in Bulgaria. Together we all lay the foundation for a good life of is the key factor for achieving sustainable growth. Bulgarian people. See how we are doing it on the WCIF worked hard during 2017 exactly for the sake That is how “You and Lidl for better life“ came into following pages. of these civic organizations and their inspired mem- being. This is the largest funding program of a private bers. For WCIF 2017 was a year of endeavors and donor in Bulgaria. satisfaction, joys and recognitions, new and impor- There are people who do nоt wait for help. tackle these problems. In this report, you Developing People who do not see problems, but instead will meet the people and organizations that see opportunities. People who believe, plan, we encouraged to take responsibility for local com- act, find like-minded people and inspire fol- their development and for the development lowers. There are people who evoke change. of their communities, from which they are an munities for In our sixteenth consecutive year we, from integral part. Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation, We know that community development is support these individuals to evoke change in not a swift intervention or concrete solution a better life local communities for the better. to a given problem. Community develop- For us, a better life is possible through the ment is a complex and long-term process in development of the communities - geograph- which actions are equally important as final ical or interest-based. Our extensive experi- results. That is why this report will not sim- ence shows that only when the members ply state the changes that took place at the of a community are capable of realizing their end. Instead, we will walk you through the full potential that a community can become whole process that led to these changes. fully developed, and vice versa. Well-devel- The development of local communities oped communities are the best environment strengthens civil society. Only in well-devel- for the realization of its members’ potential. oped communities do dialogue and collabo- We know that the economic, social, cultur- ration between citizens and institutions ex- al and environmental improvement of local ist which create the foundation for a better communities is not an external process. On life. We hope the examples presented in the the contrary, the change originates with the following pages will inspire you to be more people, serves the people, and transpires active and engaged citizens. because of them. No one knows better the problems of a community more than its members. Community members have the potential, the knowledge and experience to DEVeloping local 2017 in figuRES coMMunities foR A betteR life Funding 647 000 Social BGN Development Supported initiatives 273 NGOs Developing Local Education in Support for communities Innovation 295 for better local Life communities Supporting in developed personal potential and talent development Direct Philantropy beneciaries development 120 000 people Indirect beneciaries over 650 000 people 6 Developing local communities for a better life • Annual report 2017 Geographical scope Novo Selo Vidin Silistra Ruse Lom Kozloduy Isperih General Toshevo Svishtov Razgrad Dobrich Montana Yasen Pleven Popovo Valchi Dol Shumen Targoviste Vratsa Varna Berkovitsa Gorna Oryahovitsa Lyaskovets Antonovo Varshets Roman