When Help Changes

Young Dobromir* was a good employee. However, when problems arose, his employer turned to us. Since Dobromir did not have a valid ID card, he was at risk of losing his job. A new ID card could not be issued: The former orphan had no address, no place of residence, and no relatives who could have helped him. Without a job, in turn, he would not have been able to afford an apartment—a classic downward spiral.

An Address for Dobromir
We took Dobromir in at the “Veränderung” Center. This gave him an official address, allowing his ID card to be renewed and enabling him to keep his job. He lived with us for four months, after which he moved in with a friend in city-subsidized housing. However, because that living situation was too cramped and also illegal, Dobromir wanted to return to us—this time to a single room. This became possible because the Zentrum had since been reclassified as a workers’ dormitory. Dobromir continues to work at the same place as an undertaker. He lives alone and is self-sufficient.

Needs Are Shifting
Last year, the center reoriented its mission. New regulatory requirements made it more difficult to provide straightforward, low-threshold assistance. At the same time, the need for emergency shelter alone declined, as two state-run facilities opened in the region and living conditions in Bulgaria have improved slightly. However, an increasing number of working people are living in extreme poverty and precarious housing conditions.

New Residents Welcome
For these reasons, the “Veränderung” Center was closed as a homeless shelter and reopened as a workers’ residence. This allows us to offer assisted living and affordable rooms to the “working poor”—and now also to single parents with children. The goal remains the transition to independent living.

Social work support also continues: assistance with unemployment, missing documents, and legal issues. All rooms, along with their shared kitchens, have already been rented out. We are deeply grateful to God that we can continue to operate the center and address people’s current needs in this way.

* Name changed