The photo exhibition “ProchangedTE - for life after foster care” was opened in the building of Burgas Municipality, part of the initiative “#YoungIndependent: how is it possible?”, implemented by the National Association for Foster Care /NAFC/. The exhibition aims to show a less often told side of foster care – the success, dignity and the path to independent living that stand behind these young people.

“This is an event that brings us together not around art, but around humanity, hope and faith in the future. The photo exhibition shows what the future of these children can be when they have a family and a supporting environment, thanks to which they can become successful people. I thank the Foster Care Association and Zhivka Turlakova, who has been the head of our foster care project from the very beginning,” said Daniel Borisov – director of the “Healthcare and Social Activities” directorate in Burgas Municipality.

“While they are in foster families, these children are invisible to society. With this exhibition, we want to show that they can also be successful people. All these young people today work and are students, and some of them already have their own families and children they take care of. At this moment, foster parents are only 1400 for the whole country. Every year, between 30-40 foster youths take this difficult path on their own, as after the age of 18 they do not receive support from the state,” shared Ginka Ilieva – program manager of the National Association for Foster Care and foster parent for 16 years.

Ginka Ilieva also said that foster families are insufficient, as there are still children in social institutions. Many of these parents give up, as they face a number of problems such as lack of security, misunderstanding from society, etc.

“In Burgas we have a very good network of social institutions that take care of children at risk, but still there is a need for more foster parents,” said Radostina Sokolova – foster parent and coordinator for the Burgas region. 

“In the Burgas region, there are 49 foster families, and in the municipality there are only 20,” added Zhivka Turlakova – head of the foster care project in Burgas Municipality.

The exhibition presents 20 portraits of young people who grew up in foster families, captured at one of the most important moments in their lives - the graduation ball. These are faces and stories that rarely reach the public attention, but carry a strong message about the opportunities that foster care gives when a child grows up in a family environment. 

Among the portraits is Nadezhda from Burgas, a graduate from last year, whose path is an example of how support, care and trust can change the life of a child.

Social workers and foster parents, who daily give a home, security and a chance for the future to children at risk, also attended the event.

From January 19 to 25, the photo exhibition can be viewed by residents and guests of the city in the NHK Cultural Center.