The voices behind the story - Diana Dimova and Ivaylo Yabulkarov from the Mission Wings Foundation
Help Where It Counts: Lessons from Mission Wings’ Mobile Team
Nacho Strigulev
Originally published in Bulgarian at Bluelink.net
In a world where solidarity seems rare and institutions seem heartless, a civil society organization in Stara Zagora does not wait for someone to ask for help – it goes out to the people itself. Since February 2025, the Mission Wings Foundation has been working on the ground with the project “European Guarantee for Vulnerable Children and Families in Stara Zagora with Limited Access to Services.”
How it all began
At the end of June 2024, an important project for Stara Zagora came to an end – part of the European initiative “Child Guarantee,” implemented with the support of UNICEF and carried out by the Mission Wings Foundation. For nearly two years, a mobile team from the organization has been working among vulnerable communities in the Lozenets neighborhood and villages in the region, providing support to children and their families at risk. “We wanted to make sure that the team included people of Roma origin to facilitate contact, even though our colleagues have extensive experience,” says Ivaylo Yabulkarov, project coordinator at the foundation. After a series of interviews, a three-member mobile team was formed, consisting of one social worker and two social assistants. Their work is intensive and includes assessing the risk in each family—from violence, addiction, child abandonment, dropping out of school, etc. Being present on the ground, gaining people’s trust, and making frequent visits are key.
The project ends, but the need remains
The achievements were impressive: trust and a support network were built, and regular meetings, consultations, and programs for parents and children began. In June 2024, however, all that has been achieved is at risk. The team is ready to continue, but the funds are lacking. “The project has ended, but unfortunately, the need for the team has not,” explains Yablakarov. Mission Wings searched for new ways to ensure continuity. A project proposal was prepared for the municipality of Stara Zagora. The requested amount is modest—about 19,000 leva, mainly for salaries and transportation costs for the mobile team. However, approval is not immediate. “The project was stopped in one of the relevant committees. We don’t know why, but it appears that it was not because of the content,” says Yabalkarov.
Solidarity in action
This is where the RavniBG coalition comes in. On the initiative of attorney Diana Radoslavova from the Legal Aid Center in Bulgaria, a statement was drafted in support of the foundation. The organizations that are members of the RavniBG civic alliance have joined in. “This pressure was very important for the approval of the project,” says Diana Dimova, founder and chairperson of the foundation. “For me, it is important that in the future the RavniBG network be even more active when there is a need for solidarity and urgent action on an issue.”, she shares.
On October 31, 2024, after several months of struggle, the project was approved and received strong support in the municipal commissions. The work can continue. “We jokingly say in the team that we have won funding of 19,000 leva, but it feels like we have won 19 million because of all the difficulties we overcame, says Dimova.
At the Doorstep of Everyone in Need
Since February 2025, the new project has been underway, with a mobile team working on the ground in the neighborhoods of Lozenets, Zheleznik, Zora, Samara, Bedechka, Trite Chuchura – South, and around 17 villages in the Stara Zagora municipality where families lack access to essential social and healthcare services. Being physically present and conducting frequent outreach visits are key. Equally important is the establishment of the organization’s field office in Lozenets – one of the most marginalized areas in Stara Zagora.
“We have a vehicle purchased through the project with UNICEF. This mobility and flexibility allow us to reach all locations whenever we receive alerts,” explains Diana Dimova, founder and chairperson of the foundation.
Each month, the mobile team reaches between 200 and 350 people – about 80 to 100 families, primarily of Roma origin. “The risks in these vulnerable communities are numerous – abandonment, exploitation, violence, abuse, school dropouts, and addictions to psychoactive substances, which have recently become quite prevalent in the Roma neighborhood. There is a lot, a lot of violence. Today we received a new alert about a girl who was beaten and is seeking help,” Dimova says.
Earning Trust
For many of these families, the mobile team is their only contact with social services. “Many families simply cannot come to us. Single mothers with several children don’t have money for a bus ticket and cannot walk the five kilometers to reach us. That’s why we try to go to them,” says Dimova. “It’s easier to work when you go to the people. They are more open and more trusting because they see that someone cares about them. You’re not just an official sitting in an office waiting for someone to walk through your door,” adds the founder of Mission Wings.
Alongside individual work with families, there are also community initiatives – events for June 1 and April 8. “We do this to draw attention to important issues and to show these people that we are there to support them,” explains Yabalkarov. The foundation also supports other initiatives, such as groups for pregnant women where topics like breastfeeding and newborn care are discussed.
The project is funded until July 2025, but its continuation remains uncertain. “At this stage, we have funding until the end of the year. We are doing everything we can to secure an extension because the work of the mobile team is extremely valuable,” says Dimova.
“Someone Just to Listen to Them”
Ivaylo Yabalkarov is one of the people who are out in the field almost every day. When asked why he does it, he answers simply: “You can’t help everyone – we help one, then another, then a third. Just a moment ago, I was in a meeting with prospective adoptive parents. We have been helping these people for six days to prepare for what lies ahead. Meetings like these give me a lot of meaning to keep going. In Stara Zagora, there aren’t many active civic organizations, yet there are many people who need some kind of support – even if it’s just someone to listen to them. My colleagues and I try to do exactly that. That gives me the reason to keep going.”
The work of the Mission Wings Foundation is an undeniable example of the dedication of grassroots civic organizations. Yet it also raises a question: if just a few people, with a car, a small budget, and big hearts, can bring hope to hundreds of people every month – what could we achieve if we all worked together?
How You Can Help
The goal of the Mission Wings Foundation goes beyond the present: to ensure the sustainability of the mobile team’s work, to maintain the network of trust they have built, and to attract new partners, including donors and institutions. You can support all of this through the donations section on the organization’s website, available here. You can also learn more about the foundation’s activities on its website and Facebook page.
The BlueLink civil action network tells 7 stories about initiatives by members of Ravni BG, focusing on the strategic use of information technologies. Ravni BG brings together 37 civil society organizations working in areas such as human rights protection, vulnerable groups, sustainable development, the rule of law, and advocacy. The project is implemented with the support of the Solidarity Fund of Ravni BG.
Published within the framework of “Ravni BG,” with financial support from the Solidarity Fund of “Ravni BG,” the funds for which have been provided to the Bulgarian Fund for Women (BFW) under the Strong and Resilient Civil Society in Europe program of the European philanthropic initiative for democracy and solidarity Civitates of the Network of European Foundations.
More digital stories from BlueLink.net about “Ravni BG”:
DigiComs: Gateway to Civil Society
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Truth before lies: How Factcheck.bg fights misinformation
