Tulovo, Bulgaria - Gathering Place

OVERVIEW

OUR COMMUNITY

Located a mere 17 kilometers north of Stara Zagora and an entire world away is the village of Tulovo. An impoverished town, of about 1,300 people, lying in the heart of Bulgaria, Tulovo’s residents have few opportunities for economic progress. The population is nearly evenly divided between Roma (Gypsy) and ethnic Bulgarians. Possibilities for good employment are few and far between as most of the Roma population works in menial services such as sweeping sidewalks or hauling trash, or agricultural jobs either nearby or in the village itself. The only evangelical church is located in a small decrepit shack that needs repair. Naturally, the Roma community attends this church while most of the Bulgarian population is either completely unchurched or nominally affiliated with a small Orthodox church in town.

OUR WORK

We also work closely with local Roma youth through a discipleship program that trains and mentors them. Through the recent addition of a community center, we not only have a building that provides space to meet and be in community with these teenagers, but we also have a space to gather with younger Roma and underprivileged Bulgarian children as we develop an after-school program for them.

Our most difficult task next will be to integrate the church to include both Bulgarians and Roma. Even though relationships between these two ethnic groups are positive, they rarely interact together. Many old social prejudices and traditions keep these two groups apart.

Learn more about our work at www.onecollective.org/community/Tulovo-Bulgaria.

INVESTMENT SUMMARY:

Key Metrics for Growth and Impact:

• The opportunity unexpectedly arose to acquire the building in which the core ministry of One Collective in Tulovo takes place. At a purchase price of $30,000 and no available financing, the local ministry was not prepared to move quick enough to secure the purchase agreement of the building, and not only risked losing the space to the open market but faced the greater challenge of lost progress in a space many had poured their hearts into. We were able to underwrite the purchase of the building giving the local team a much longer runway to raise the capital needed to secure the purchase of the building.

• Investment into this initiative will recycle in approximately one year.

• The Gathering Place serves as a place to bring people together for the purposes of discipling youth, training leaders, providing community for the vulnerable and marginalized, and hosting after-school programs for children.

• This initiative allows for Mobilizing of new One Collective workers to the community by serving as a home base of sorts for the team.