Young Ppeople with Ideas for a Better Environment

June 4, 2023

Thirty-five young people from the Roma villages in Blagoevgrad and Simitli gathered in Rila National Park near Dupnitsa on Sunday. Some of them traveled specially to participate in the meeting, which took place in a rich variety of topics and activities. Young people between the ages of 13 and 22 talked about sexually transmitted diseases and infections, as well about methods of protection and contraception. The most active and faithful answers during the quiz, which was held with the help of BFPA ‘Play and Learn’ cards, gained prizes. A competition was also held on topics of general culture and religion.

The organizers of the meeting – the health mediators Katia Kirilova and Antoaneta Assenova and the young volunteer of BFPA Victoria Nikolova – talked to young people about the changes they wanted, which are expected to happen with the support of the Blagoevgrad and Simitli Municipalities, stimulating them to think in groups and write down the ideas are on separate sheets.

Proposals for free internet and disco, community center and library in Simitli were discussed. And the things that are possible, important and completely realistic to happen are: to provide bins in front of the houses and new containers in the neighborhood to be collected regularly; night lighting and repair of the faucet in the neighborhood. It was discussed to organize a weekend or a day to clean up the Predel neighborhood, in which the youth would be involved, providing them with gloves and sacks. The young people enthusiastically await the support of the Municipality of Blagoevgrad for this initiative.