Abandoned Children in Bulgaria
Having pain while doing a light chore in the kitchen last night, I sat down on the couch and looked for a travel channel. Around almost midnight, while looking for a nice documentary to watch, I stopped at Canvas Channel, that is the Belgium Channel.
It was not a fairy tale story, or an adventure, or an historical story, or anything about a rich entertainer. What I saw was a bunch of down-syndromed children, in a social care home in Mogilino in Bulgaria. They are not only crippled, blind, deaf but they are also so small, thin that you can see their bone next to the skin. No flesh at all. And what's disturbing to see also, they are there not to be given a chance to live long but to die.
During the day, the children are "taken care of". Showered, cleaned, clothed, feed and those are what they call "they care". The way how the staff carry them, clean them, cloth them, feed them, is just frustrating. After these all are done, the children will stay in a room, sitting on a chair or a pot, either quiet doing nothing or self-harming and rocking asking for love or attention, some are in bed wasting away. At night, the staff lock their doors and leave them crying and alone in their own world.
Vasky is a blind girl. Earlier in the programme, she was healthier. After a few months, both her legs are thin and crippled. She can no longer do anything but just wait for the staff to help her do all the things for her and then put her back to her bed. When she cries for pain, the doctor or nurse does not even check what happened but said it's their disease. Stupid cow.
I believe Stoyan is a boy. The only mishap for this child is that he is blind. He has become so thin and I fear he also will not let live for a long time. I wish I was there for Stoyan. He is an adorable child if one gives him a chance.
Didi is an 18th year old girl but she looks 15th. She is new in the institution. At first, she reads anything, writes to her mother every day, has lots of ideas to talk to als no one wants to talk to her. They are either mute, deaf or just don't know how to talk. She still believes that her mother is going to fetch her some day. Slowly she begins to rock like the other children. Being heavily frustrated, she can develop mental problems.
It is a very shocking, frustrating, moving and heart-breaking programme. My heart cries for these children. I am furious with the parents, the staff, the director of the institution and the government of the country. How could a mother do this to her child? How could the staff be so fat and let the children die without a bit of love? How could the government abandon the children in a secluded area, without extra care, medical, food and attention? These children could be a somebody.
I'm speechless, furious and really sobbing for the poor children. I wish I could do something for them, be there, hug them, talk to them, sing a song or just be there to hold them. All I can do now is sharing this story with you all and hopefully we can help to save the children in one way or another. Bulgaria is now a European Union member and this is still happening in Europe, how entertaining (yes, I'm being cynical).
Thanks Kate Blewett of BBC4 for making this programme and for sharing how the other world is treating their children.
Click the links below for more info:
Bulgaria's Abandoned Children by BBC4
Watch this movie:
Bulgarias_Abandoned_Children.avi1 uur 28 min 59 sec. - 13 okt. 2007
Gemiddelde beoordeling: (20 beoordelingen)
Ron always changes his phone ringtone. So, when his mobile phone was 'singing', he was not around to pick it up so we all laughed at the music. When he came back to his desk, I told him that his phone was 'calling' him. Checking the number, he said Not known. But there was a message in there so he called the caller. Once he finished talking, he looked at me and said calmly, "My father is dead". I was shocked and still refused to accept it.
