Help us create Bulgaria's Green Educational Centre

Dear friends of the Green Educational Centre ELA,

It is midsummer and hope is in the air, together with sun, bees, flies and bitter-sweet smell of herbs.

Thanks to you we are progressing; our Centre is starting to look more and more hospitable. Our biggest achievement for the last three months was the workshop building. It is getting in shape, having windows and will soon (may be a year at most) host children and young people willing to try carpentry, weaving, electricity and more.

We also worked in the yard and continued with piping and drainage systems. We are having two circles of water – one is for he gray water, i.e. the one from the sinks and showers which will go to flush the toilets.

Soon we will have to work more on the old trees – we have some, whose health we need to investigate. And will probably have to take some measures to ensure their longer life.

Every support that we receive is invaluable – not just because we need it, but also because it gives us feeling that we are not alone and are moving in the right direction.

Thank you, sincerely! Till soon,

Iva

Dear friends of the Green Educational Centre ELA,

I hope this finds you and your families well, and with a rising feeling of spring hope. Our team is delighted to share the latest news around the Green Educational Centre ELA with you, who count among our earliest supporters and thank you again for putting your trust in us. The project is a big endeavor coming to life at a difficult time, but the good news is that we are only moving forward over the past year and a half since we bought the old school in a small village near Sofia that was closed for over 40 years, and began building a Green Educational Centre for children and adults to explore nature, science and themselves.

Over the last few months we were working hard on the reinforcement of the building and on setting up the basic features needed before we start refining the reparation on the inside. We placed kilometers of water pipes and electricity cables and are finally over with the installation of the electricity circuit and the water pipes and drainage system. We also reinforced the workshop small building and are prepared to put the new windows we had custom made.

Every support that we receive is vital and sincerely appreciated. We continue reaching out to different organizations that have interest in becoming our partners, and/or have experience with developing similar Centre’s and are willing to share with us their knowledge and lessons learned.

Thank you all and hope to see you soon!

Iva

Great news! We are so excited to say that over the summer we finally started the repair, renovation and construction activities of the Green Educational Centre ELA.

Simple things like having water, electricity and reinforced building foundations really make us feel closer to the opening date and encourage us to continue. We still have a long way to go, but we are making palpable progress.

Meanwhile we are amplifying the community around the Green Centre and have a growing number of volunteers. Also, we created a special bond with the local community and administration. The Green Centre is located in a municipality that prioritizes sustainability and Nature preservation. It is very rewarding to have such a supporting municipality while working on that brave project.

We continue our fundraising efforts and are building partnerships with different donors. Some already started donating construction materials – most needed donations in the current stage of the creation of the Centre.  

In everything we do, we always put the safety of workers and volunteers first, taking all the precautions related the Pandemic as we are slowly constructing the Centre.

You are all invited to our GlobalGiving profile and Facebook account for more information!

Dear friends,

We hope this message finds you and your loved ones save. The last few months were a challenge for us all. But also gave us the opportunity to slow down the pace and rethink our priorities. The Global Pandemic one again reminded us about how connected we are and emphasized on how we should strive for good relationships and build strong communities, and be conscious about the repercussion of our actions. This situation made us realize once more the need for a place where children can learn and find their own path, become aware of their place in the world, and understand how every choice and action of theirs has an impact on others. For us, this place will be the Green Educational Centre ELA – a magic, cosy and hospitable study place for children and adults, which will invite them to connect to themselves, blend in with nature and the surrounding world.

Over the last months we had to postpone some of the repair and renovation activities in the Centre due to the global safety restrictions. While we were finishing our architecture and design plans, we focused on building a community around the Green Centre. We developed a stronger bond with the local community and a small, but dedicated group of volunteers who are willing to join us in building the Centre in the months to come.

We already changed the joinery and started the renovation of what will be the main hall in the Educational Centre. A small hearth was built in the yard and the trees we planted in the fall are flourishing.

Everyone willing to volunteer in the creation of the Green Centre will be warmly welcomed by our team, just get in touch with us on www.ela-bg.eu! In the meanwhile, we continue our fundraising efforts and are actively searching for donors who can support us by donating construction materials, solar panels and sports facilities.  

You are all invited to our GlobalGiving profile and Facebook account for more information!

Warm greetings,

Iva

On behalf of our team, let me start by expressing once again our deepest gratitude for the support and encouragement you gave us for the creation of the Green Educational Centre ELA. It gave us the requisite confidence that we are on the right path.

In order to become a reality, each great idea needs a clear-cut plan and parameters in addition to patience, commitment and focus. Over the last two months we have been working with an enthusiastic team of architects, engineers and construction experts so as to prepare an elaborate plan for the repair and renovation of the Green Centre ELA. This process has taught us a lot and, at moments, it is a real challenge because it is important that the drafts not only meet the safety regulations and technical parameters, but also fulfil the educational and discovery needs of our future visitors. We aresetting up a magic, cosy and hospitable study place for children and adults, which invites them to connect to themselves and blend in with nature. We are led by the desire to make this place accessible to all, taking into consideration their differences.

In the meantime, we continue our fundraising efforts and are actively searching for donors and supporters. We plan on participating in the Little by Little GlobalGiving campaign that will be conducted between 23-27 March. During that period GlobalGiving will match at 50 % all donations under 50 USD.

You are all invited to visit our website,  GlobalGiving profile and Facebook account for more information!

Warm greetings,