We are happy to announce that the Emergency Fund for Combating Domestic Violence in the context of COVID-19 pandemic managed to raise 73,192 BGN from corporate and individual donations. The funds will be distributed to the Crisis and Counsultative Centers across the country, which work on the front lines with survivors of domestic violence and their children, providing them with psychological, legal and social services.
The fund was initiated in May by the Bulgarian Fund for Women in partnership with Bulgarian Donation Forum and Fondation BCause.
The technological company “Progress” is the newest corporate supporter of the Emergency Fund to help the victims of domestic violence in Bulgaria.
We want to thank to all corporate donors, whose total contribution is 41,296 BGN. These major donors are the companies Biersdorf / NIVEA, Easy Pay, Experian Bulgaria, Melon, Progress and the Lachezar Tsotsorkov Foundation.
We would also like to thank the hundreds of individual donors who supported the campaign by donating via the crowd funding platform The Platform.bg, via the website of the Bulgarian Fund for Women, via SMS to the short number 17 777 / DMS SILA and at the cash desks of EasyPay in the whole country.
The Bulgarian Fund for Women doubled the amount collected from individual donations in The Platform.bg (13,062 BGN) to reach the amount of 26,124 BGN.
“The alert for the dramatic increase of the cases of domestic violence after the introduction of the emergency measures in mid-March, both in Bulgaria and around the world, made us contact the organizations that manage Crisis and Consultative centers”, commented Nadejda Dermendjhieva, the Executive Director of Bulgarian Fund For Women. “We conducted detailed study, which has shown that they are in a very difficult situation, further complicated by the coronavirus pandemic and they need funds to set up quarantine facilities, additional protection and security measures, emergency PCR testing, additional hours of work of psychologists and lawyers, technical support of online consultations and many others. That is why, we initiated the emergency creation of this Fund, which would help the victims of domestic violence and to guarantee them support through the professional organizations that work to provide, shelter, care and consultation. Last but not least, the campaign helped to raise public awareness and build intolerance to all forms of violence”, Dermendjhieva added.
The first funds raised were already distributed to five organizations in mid-June. The distribution of the remaining collected funds according to the applications for the needs of the other organizations in the country is forthcoming.
In addition to the collected financial aid, donors joined the cause with some in-kind donations:
- Philip Morris Bulgaria Ltd donated food coupons of worth of 3,700 BGN, which were distributed to organizations that provide humanitarian assistance and distribute food packages to women victims of domestic violence.
- Organic dairy farm “Rukatka” donated yogurt to the Crisis Center in Sofia.
- Other new partnerships have been established with corporate donors, which will support the work of the centers supporting victims of domestic violence in the coming months.
We would like to thank everyone who supported the cause in order to help women and children victims of domestic violence and show them that they are not alone!
