Nurse Family Partnership Program in Bulgaria

A Moment of Waiting — and Unwavering Commitment

In our last update, we shared the exciting news that the Sofia Municipal Council had approved interim funding for NFP — a historic milestone. We are still awaiting the formal release of those funds, and while this period of transition requires patience, our work on the ground has not paused for a single day. Our nurses continue to walk through doors, sit beside young mothers, and show up — visit after visit, week after week.

This is possible because of you.

What Your Donations Make Possible — Now and in the Future

We are working hard to secure the long-term sustainability of NFP through public funding — and we are closer than ever. But there is something important to understand: even when the municipality officially adopts and funds the model, the cost of vitamins, pregnancy supplements, and hygiene products will remain outside the scope of what public budgets cover.

This is not a minor gap. You cannot build parenting skills and confidence in a mother who is struggling to meet the most basic needs of her baby. A nurse can bring knowledge, encouragement, and guidance — but if a family lacks the essentials, that foundation is impossible to build on. Your donations are what fill that gap, and they always will be. Every vitamin purchased, every hygiene kit delivered, is what makes the rest of the work possible.

Ten Years of Showing Up — By the Numbers

As we approach a milestone we are incredibly proud of — nearly a decade of NFP in Bulgaria — the numbers tell a story of quiet, consistent transformation:

• ~500 mothers enrolled since 2016
• 447 babies born within the program and more expected every day
• 22,123 home visits, averaging 65 minutes each - that's THOUSANDS OF HOURS of one-on-one care 
• 83% retention rate in Sofia — a testament to the trust our nurses build in extremely volatile circumstances

These are not just statistics. They represent thousands of moments of care, guidance, and human connection in some of Bulgaria's most vulnerable homes.

Looking Ahead: A Decade Worth Celebrating

Very soon, we will mark 10 years of NFP in Bulgaria. Ten years of nurses, mothers, and babies. Ten years of walking alongside families that the system too often overlooks. Ten years made possible, in no small part, by donors like you.

We are not done. We are just getting started on the next chapter.

Public funding will sustain our team — but you sustain the families. Please consider becoming a monthly donor. It is the most direct way to ensure that when our nurses knock on a door, they never arrive empty-handed.

As we begin 2026, we are filled with renewed hope – and deep gratitude. After months of uncertainty, we are thrilled to share that the Sofia Municipal Council has officially approved interim funding for NFP. This is a historic step forward. For the first time, a public institution in Bulgaria is committing its own budget to sustain this evidence-based home-visiting service – ensuring that vulnerable young mothers and their babies continue to receive the support they need.

This funding will bridge the gap until NFP becomes part of the national social services system. At the same time, we have secured additional short-term support from Tanya’s Dream Fund to cover the transition period in spring 2026.

Together, these developments bring us closer than ever to achieving what we have worked toward for nearly a decade: making NFP a sustainable, state-supported service in Bulgaria.

What Your Support Makes Possible – Right Now

While public funding will soon help sustain our team, it does not cover the everyday needs of the families we serve. This is where you remain absolutely essential.

Thanks to GlobalGiving donors, we continue to provide:

• diapers and baby hygiene products
• essential medications and pregnancy vitamins
• small but critical items that make a real difference in daily life

For many of the young mothers we support – often teenagers living in deep poverty – these are not “extras.” They are the difference between coping and crisis. Your support ensures that when our nurses walk into a home, they don’t come empty-handed – they bring both knowledge and tangible care.

Spreading Joy and Building Brighter Futures

In the reporting period, we held another beautiful edition of our annual campaign “Gift a Fairytale. With the generous support of the general public in Bulgaria, we collected and distributed over 1,700 children’s books to NFP families in Sofia and Plovdiv, and to kindergartens in poor regions of the country.

For many of these children, this was the first book in their hands. Beyond the joy and excitement, these books are powerful tools:

• They support early language development
• They strengthen the bond between parent and child
• They introduce a culture of learning and imagination

And perhaps most importantly – they bring moments of warmth, connection, and normalcy in otherwise very difficult environments.

 Looking Ahead: Scaling Hope

Even as we secure the future of NFP in Sofia, we continue working toward expanding the program to new municipalities across Bulgaria. We are building partnerships, engaging local authorities, and preparing the ground so that more families – in more communities – can benefit from this life-changing support. Because every child deserves a healthy start. And every mother deserves someone to stand beside her.

Stay With Us

This is a moment of real progress – but also a moment where your support matters more than ever. Public funding is beginning to take shape, but it will take time before systems fully catch up with the needs on the ground.

Until then, you are the bridge.

Please continue to stand with us:

• Donate if you can
• Share our story
• Help us reach more families in need

Together, we are not just sustaining a program – we are building a future where every child in Bulgaria has the chance to thrive. 

With heartfelt gratitude,