The center for integrated social and health services at one stop in the “Stolipinovo” district was created according to a project of the Plovdiv municipality and the city administration intends to ensure the continuation of the activity with the clear vision that they are extremely important for the neighborhood and the population. This is what the project manager Nedka Petrova said to the camera of Plovdiv24.bg.
The center provides consultations on social, educational and health issues. Preventive examinations were carried out for persons without health insurance, the language capacity of children and adults was improved, as well as access to education.
The project is implemented for 24 months from 11/04/2022 to 30/04/2024 and includes two main indicators, one of which is reaching a capacity of 1000 adults and children to use integrated social and health services. The other component is the construction of a new modern multifunctional building in the “Stolipinovo” district, which is used both for training and for the provision of various services at one stop.
The project covers 750 people, and the program operator has allowed the extension of the project only to fulfill the indicators until August 31, and until then the number requirement will be met, said Petrova.
The target group are residents of the “Stolipinovo” district, adults, those without health insurance, those who do not know the Bulgarian language, children at risk of dropping out of the education system, activities aimed at empowering Roma women. There has been interest from residents, but the main problem the project team has had to overcome is people’s mistrust.
“My colleagues are people with many years of experience working in social service centers. They did not give up easily, they reached impossible places – to kindergartens, schools, non-governmental organizations in the region, the Labor Bureau, the regional administration in the “Iztochen” region. We tried to prove to the people that after the completion of this project, we will not end everything, but will continue to be there and support them, which is also the desire of the Plovdiv municipality” – pointed out Petrova.
The low level of education affects the reluctance of people from the neighborhood to visit health facilities. The fear is caused not only by the fact that something will be done to them, but also because they are worried that they will be diagnosed with an illness and have no idea what they will do.