Help Unite Bulgaria's Student Volunteers

Season 5 of the youth volunteer competition, The Heroes’ Cup, presented unique challenges, primarily due to the effects of the amendments to the Law on Pre-School and School Education (ZPUO), passed by the Bulgarian Parliament in August 2024.

These legislative changes, which introduced a ban on so-called “LGBTQ+ propaganda” in schools, had a widespread and chilling effect on civil society organizations (CSOs) working with educational institutions. The vague and broadly interpretable language of the law created uncertainty among school administrators and educators across the country. As a result, we received multiple reports from partner organizations indicating that schools were hesitant to collaborate or allow external initiatives on their premises, fearing legal repercussions. We believe this environment contributed significantly to a decline in participation, as several school-based volunteer clubs chose not to enlist for Season 5.

Despite these obstacles, The Heroes’ Cup remains a deeply meaningful project for our team. Over the past five years, we have worked to build a safe and empowering space for young people to practice empathy, mutual support, and civic responsibility. It is disheartening that such a mission could be viewed as controversial under current legal and political conditions. Nevertheless, we remain committed to continuing this work.

In spite of the difficult circumstances, we are proud to report that Season 5 was a success. The competition engaged 20 school clubs across 12 towns and villages in Bulgaria, with a total of 533 active student participants. The dedication and enthusiasm of these young volunteers reaffirm our belief in the importance and impact of The Heroes’ Cup.

During the competition (from the beginning of October 2024 until the end of June 2025), they collectively organized 160 missions in support of various causes. As usual, we guided them through monthly challenges, such as “Stand Up for Children’s Rights” (November), “Give Care to the Elderly During the Holidays” (December), “Support People Living in Extreme Poverty” (February), and “Contribute to Religious Tolerance” (April).

As always, we encouraged the volunteer clubs to take part in missions listed on TimeHeroes.org to connect them with different NGOs and organizations working on human and animal rights across Bulgaria. Collectively, the clubs helped over 20 causes from our platform meet their goals.

While we did not meet our fundraising goal on GlobalGiving this season, we were still able to organize and host the planned end-of-season celebration thanks to the support of our community and careful resource management.

On June 30th, we held our annual end-of-season celebration for The Heroes’ Cup. The event took place at Kino Kabana and brought together around 30 students from two Sofia-based clubs and one club from Svoge. Although Season 5 saw fewer active clubs, the students who took part once again worked their magic—filling the school year, and our hearts, with countless acts of kindness. For that, they deserved to be celebrated as the true heroes they are.

The celebration culminated in the official announcement of the winners in the two age categories:

• Grades 1–7: Angels of Good (Svoge)

• Grades 8–12: NPMG Gives a Hand (Sofia)

While only two trophies were awarded, every participant received a gift and took part in the activities we had prepared especially for them.

Attendees participated in several creative and educational workshops designed to inspire self-expression and storytelling:

• A zine and booklet-making workshop, where participants compiled photos and stories from their Heroes’ Cup experiences or explored other topics close to their hearts.

• A mobile photography session, aimed at helping students develop skills to document their volunteer work and capture meaningful moments with friends and community members.

• A cyanotype printing workshop, where attendees created unique prints using selected objects and sunlight—blending creativity with a hands-on introduction to a historical photographic process.

These workshops were intended to empower students and volunteer clubs to better communicate their initiatives, document their impact, and attract new members and supporters through engaging, self-made materials. The event was not only a celebration of the students’ dedication over the past year, but also a valuable opportunity to learn new skills, unleash creativity, and strengthen the sense of community among young changemakers.

Links:

• Support Time Heroes Foundation