The Bulgarian software company Melon becаme a corporate donor to the Invisible First Line campaign, which raises funds from companies and individual donors for women and children affected by domestic violence. The amount raised by the campaign of the Bulgarian Fund for Women will be distributed to 13 organizations that run crisis and counselling centers across the country and that work every day on the first line, providing psychological, legal and social support to victims of violence. They literally save lives. But in most cases, they remain invisible to society.
That is why the campaign has been called ‘The Invisible Firs Line’ and as part of it, a documentary book of the same name has been published, which tells the true stories of the experts from nine crisis centres. They share the problems and difficulties, but also the joys, the satisfaction they feel when a smile is brought back to the face of a woman who has been through the worst – violence and abuse in her own home, which should be her safest place. The book will be sent as a gift for free to every donor who joins the campaign with BGN 50 or more by 18 December.
“It’s eerie every time we read news of girls and women being killed or brutally beaten. And we know these are the few incidents that make it to the media – the fatal ones. Systemic beatings and abuse by every so often partners or another family member remain locked behind the thick walls of what they call ‘home’. And unfortunately, on the one hand, statistics show that cases are on the rise, and on the other, there is still no adequate legislation, let alone enforcement of one, in order to respond, prevent and provide support in such situations. It is not a personal problem for each of these women, but tfor all of us as a society. That’s why we as a company joined the Invisible First Line, to help with what little we can,” said Nikoleta Popkostadinova, Marketing and Communications Manager at Melon.
“We would like to thank Melon for the donation. It means a lot to us and to the end beneficiaries – women and children that are victims of domestic violence. Moreover, Melon supports the cause of the Bulgarian Fund for Women and the support of crisis centers for the second year in a row. In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, understanding the enormous growth of domestic violence cases both in Bulgaria and around the world, BFW organized an Emergency Fund to combat domestic violence and managed to raise BGN 73,192 to support 14 crisis and counselling centers. The aid reached 499 women and children directly across the country. As it did before, Melon got behind this challenging but important cause. We are grateful that they understand that domestic violence is not a personal, family issue, but a society-wide problem that needs widespread support!” Nadezhda Dermendjieva, Executive Director of the Bulgarian Fund for Women, commented.
