Events

Petition “Health education - in the school curriculum!”

Sofia, December 19 2014

Dear colleagues, partners and friends,
The link http://www.peticiq.com/102956 leads to a petition for introducing health education as an integral part of the school curriculum. Health, in the context of the complete physical, mental and social welfare of a person, and not just lack of a disease or a disability, is a responsibility not only of the family, but of society, part of which is the school. The school is responsible not only for safeguarding the health of children and young people, but also for establishing a system of knowledge, abilities and a positive attitude towards a healthy lifestyle within each student. The petition forеsees adding a new socio-cultural discipline in order to address the personal, social, ecological and civil development and healthy lifestyle of the students and comprises health, civil and social education. Education itself is interconnected with health and both together have a direct influence on an individual's social status. By getting information and skills in the area of health education young people are given an equal chance to achieve more in their future development.
This is not a BFPA petition, but as an organization that is FOR health education for young people we support it! Please read the full text and support the petition with your name and signature, as we did. Follow the link and type your name and e-mail address - there is an option for your name to remain private. Then confirm from your e-mail by following the link that will be sent to you. Once again:
http://www.peticiq.com/102956

The Roma Matrix Project of the National Network of Health Mediators (NNHM) collectively received a "Person of the Year 2014" award

Sofia, December 10 2014

The awards were handed out on December 10th - the International Human Rights Day, during an official ceremony at the Institut Francais in Sofia. The volunteers and donours who worked during the floods were given the grand award "Person of the Year" 2014 at the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee's annual awards ceremony for contributing to human rights protection. This award is also for the health mediators who went as volunteers to help cope with the consequences of the floods in Asparuhovo, Dobrich and Miziya. The Roma Matrix Project as a whole received the award for overall achievements in ensuring equal access to education and healthcare for the Roma as well as fighting the formed stereotype about them in the society. A part of the project is the campaign "We are not an exception", the focus of which is on Roma medical students and health mediators. "Integrated Roma are invisible" said Dimitrinka Borisova, former health mediator and a 4th year nursing student that will graduate this year. "Open your senses!" is the message of Tzveta Petkova, coordinator and the moving force behind the project for Bulgaria and also a member of the Board of NNHM. We are very proud and happy with the award for the Mediators' Network - it is a recognition for the work of our whole team!

Training sessions for students of the American College in Sofia

Sofia, December 5 2014

On December 1 and 2, at the American College in Sofia, a team from the Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association (BFPA) - Dr. Iva Koumanova - BFPA volunteer, and Daniela Dikova - health manager and consultant, performed a series of six healh training sessions for the ninth graders.

Annual meeting of the National Network of Health Mediators

Sofia, October 17-18 2014

An event that BFPA supports and active part in which its representatives Dr. Radosveta Stamenkova and Ventzislav Kirkov are taking annually. It's a time when every year health mediators from all over the country, Roma medical students, supporters, trainers, institution reprsentatives and international organization representatives are gathered in one place. A very important moment - for organizational questions, sharinfg what is going well and where things are not moving so well, to thank the ones that excel - with excellent grades as students, as volunteers after the floods in Varna, Dobrich and Miziya. Unfortunately, BFPA with the support of NNHM is the only institution in the country which supplies with contraceptives - mostly IUDs - poor people and people without health insurance. The biggest joya and surprise was the significantly increased number of Roma health mediators that have applied and are already students in different fields - from social studies to engineering... One of the most rewarding things in life is to see the point of your work and to receive proof that despite the difficulties and institutional red tape and obstacles, what you are trying to achieve is possible and good!

To Defeat Intolerance and Inequality We Must Have Open Minds and Open Hearts

Sofia, October 16, 2014

Every year since 2007 on Blog Action Day, thousands of bloggers come together to talk about one important issue, like poverty, climate change and human rights amongst others. This year the event is held on 16 October and the theme is inequality. HMA Jonathan Allen joins the initiative and blogs why to defeat intolerance and inequality, we must have open minds and open hearts. H.E. Jonathna Allen is not only Great Britain's Ambassador to Bulgaria, but also a blogger, our - BFPA's - partner and a supporter of important social causes! In the picture you can see a moment from the premiere of the short film "Emi and Ani" at the British Ambassador's Residence in Sofia in March 2014.

Faith communities commit to championing sexual and reproductive health

New York, September 22 2014

The vital role of faith-based organizations in putting sexual and reproductive health firmly on the post-2015 development agenda was explored during a high-level side event at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Described as a “call to action”, the meeting, held on 18 and 19 September, brought together members of a broad range of faith communities from around the world, who were joined by representatives of the United Nations Population Fund, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation and UNAIDS.

Training of Macedonian health mediators on strategic planning and organizational development

Group photo Skopje, September 11-12, 2014

HERA - the Macedonian member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), a member of which is BFPA, organized a two-day advanced training of the Macedonian health mediators. The event took place on September 11-12 in Skopje. On an invitation from HERA, Dr. Radosveta Stamenkova, executive director of the BFPA, and Petar Tzvetanov, chairman of the National Network of Health Mediators in Bulgaria (NNHM), took part in the seminar as trainers of the Macedonian health mediators. The goal of the training was for the Macedonian mediators to gain experience from their Bulgarian colleagues in preparation to set up an efficiently functioning organization.

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