Little did I know before coming to Portugal that my work in Fundação
Liga would be so fulfilling and inspiring, and yet it is only the first
trimester of my EVS experience here in Lisbon. A work day is never the same and
the activities in which I participate vary from the numerous projects and
initiatives that the foundation is engaged in. Let me give you an example of my
day today: it is Monday and I am in a hurry not to miss the contemporary dance
class that starts at 10 am with prof. Rafael. People in wheelchairs, boys and
girls, with different mental conditions, dance altogether in a creative swirl
and follow every instruction of the professor. I am there, of course, not only
to enjoy the dance but also to help and assist the participants. Stretching the
arms and making gentle gestures, movements of all sort come from all corners of
the room and I am so impressed of how creative and energetic everyone is
despite everything…
One hour passes really fast and then I head to the cabinet of the
director of the foundation - Dra. Cristina Passos where an intense preparation
for the 20th anniversary of Club Senior takes place. Today is the first day of
a weekly celebration of the club and we have prepared a lot of different
activities for the participants of the club, which by the way, is a club of 37 very sweet ladies and
gentlemen from the age of 65 to 94 years-old. I help both Dra. Cristina Passos
(also the coordinator of Club Senior) and Thatiane Mattos (the technical
support) in the creation of a quiz that covers fun facts about the club’s
history. Like, for example, “Who won the “Miss Senior ‘99?” or “When was Club
Senior created?”. I feel extremely honored to be part of this project and I
help with all I can do to make this club even greater. Some weeks ago I even
proposed my own project within Club Senior - a weekly intercultural club
discussing interesting aspects of the Balkan and Latin-American culture which I
am both proudly part of :). Last week I had my first introductory session about
some interesting things that I thought people will be delighted to know, like
the fact that in Bulgaria people nod when they say ‘no’ and they shake their
heads for “yes”. We all practiced the movement with the ladies and the
gentlemen and I should admit that it was quite fun.
After lunch everyone from Club Senior gathered in the official hall in
the building of the foundation and we were all grouped in teams to compete in
the quiz. I was a “madrinha” or a godmother (!) of one of the groups and it was
quite entertaining helping my team to try to remember what actually happened
during those 20 years.
Tomorrow would also be an exciting day because there will be a “cake
competition” for the people of Club Senior followed by special performance of
the club’s choir and a ceremony that would pay tribute to several people who
played important role in the life and activities of Club Senior. And of course
snacks and drinks will be served for everyone.
So far, I feel really welcomed, supported and accepted in Fundação Liga
and I am very pleased to find that a very strong and committed work is being
done for the empowerment of people with disabilities and people with special
needs. The organization’s main objective is to provide vocational training and
employment for this particular part of the society and has various projects and
programmes that stimulate the personal and social development as well as
ensuring accessibility and autonomous life to all clients of the foundation.
Fundação Liga functions also as a social enterprise because a lot of the
products that people produce like “papel mache” dolls, colorful notebooks with
designs painted by some of the most creative people with “disabilities” I have
seen, fabric book covers and many more, are all created in the numerous
ateliers part of the CAO/ Casa das Artes programme.
But perhaps what really is a huge motivation for my voluntary work in
Fundação Liga is the fact that I learn a
lot of good practices and successful case studies about the work done for
people of all conditions and ages. Hopefully, I could one day use all this
experience and try to change the reality and life of many people back in
Bulgaria.
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