The first days of the hopeful 2017 brought along the goodness. The Bulgarian Fund for Women received a generous donation from Nestlé – Bulgaria for 8 crisis centers sheltering women and children, victims of domestic violence, spread in 9 Bulgarian cities.
The recent reports reveal that evrey third woman in Bulgaria is a victim of domestic violence. This means that over a million Bulgarian women suffer from violence at home. If they manage to break the vicious circle, they flee their home with their children. More often than not, their only shelter turns out to be the closest crisis center for women and children who are victims of violence, which is governed by a nonprofit organization. Consistent data on the number of such centers or their capacity in Bulgaria is missing. According to recent data, the number of such centers is 20, whereas the available beds are approx. 200. Despite their limited number, the state subsidies for the support of these centers is highly insufficient, barely covering basic daily needs of the victims and staff.
The state standard for delegated activities – that is financing of crisis centers, estimates at 8500 lv per bed annually. According
to data from our partners, this amount includes the maintenance of the crisis center, salaries, health insurances, medicines and all other household needs. Also, because of the high turnover and the full capacity of the crisis centres, and due to the fact that the budget per bed does not include any children of the sheltered victims, the delegated daily support results in 1.30 lv per mother and a child.
In the crisis centers for women and children who have suffered domestic violence a number of everyday products are a luxury. 
The organizations in charge of these centers manage to cover only primary needs such as medicines and other medical products, whereas the food they can afford is basic essentials of poor quality. Thanks to Nestlé Bulgaria in the beginning of 2017 we will be able to support the women and children residing in 8 crisis centers in the country with a donation of a part of the high-quality Nestlé products.
We would like to express our gratitude to Nestlé and to encourage each of you who would like to help the crisis centers with food or financial donation to contact us at office@bgfundforwomen.org
