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Holding Out Hope’s visit to Samuil institution Easter 2011
Holding Out hope has been supporting the Samuil institution for adults with learning difficulties in northern Bulgaria for the past three years.
Three volunteers undertook a trip to Samuil during Easter 20011 and sadly found that little has changed.
Volunteers witnessed the process of institutionalisation, which began with a visit to a children’s home in Razgrad and seeing at first hand the effects of institutionalisation on these toddlers. There is very little stimulation available for the children and little communication with the staff and so behaviours such as rocking begin at this age, which is mainly due to boredom. At some point these children will move into adult ‘care’in a place like Samuil which is like a life sentence for them even though they have committed no crime.
Features of institutionalisation in Samuil include –
No dignity or respect, and no privacy or protection. Many residents are just not safe there, which is an abuse of their human rights under European law.
Other issues of concern are as follows –
• Samuil residents are not protected and safe as there is a culture of bullying within the home. A hierarchy exists within the group of residents that is not managed by the untrained staff. This means that many residents live in a state of fear from when they get up in the morning till they go to bed at night. Throughout the day they are vulnerable, left unprotected and as a result they are often assaulted.
• Residents are controlled en-masse by staff rather than having their individual needs met. They are herded into a large ground floor day room and stay there for much of the day, where they can be guarded by staff. In here, we witnessed all of the usual signs of institutionalisation such as rocking and head banging, once again due to lack of stimulation and boredom. They are not allowed back into their multi-occupancy bedrooms throughout the course of the day.
• Residents do not possess their own clothes or many other possessions, except the favoured few or ‘ favourites ‘.
• Staff dress residents to ‘look good ‘ if going out, though on return to the institution they are stripped and old clothes are put back on them. The explanation for this is that they must have good clothes to go out. We think all of their clothes should be good and over the past couple of years we have bought them a huge amount of clothing.
• A new law bans the use of camera or video by volunteers such as ourselves, who want to film and record the plight of these poor individuals. The government says it is to protect their human rights, however we believe it is more about keeping their institutionalised lifestyle a secret, which long term will deny them their rights.
• There is great emphasis on the need for the building at Samuil to look good and so they welcomed the relaxation room funded and provided by Holding Out Hope, which like the Gymnasium that they already have, gives the impression that residents are stimulated in some way throughout the course of the day. The truth is that these rooms are permanently locked and on occasions are shown to visitors as an example of the ‘care’ on offer.
• Residents have no say or choice in food provided.
• Residents have severe haircuts provided by staff.
• Staff are not trained and we have witnessed staff hitting residents.
• There is a seclusion room in Samuil, which is like a bare cell. This is always locked and we are always steered away from this room.
We have genuine concern for the well being of these institutionalised individuals, who are living in fear, are being controlled and have no identity. There are residents that are bed ridden that are left in bed all day. Amazingly, two young people that we witnessed in bed in a room on the ground floor, still manage to smile, which is incredible given their predicament.
It would be easy just to blame the staff, however the greatest enemy here is institutionalisation, which on a daily basis gradually robs these people of their lives.
It is possible that some of these people might have a better life if they were in a Bulgarian prison rather than being in a ‘care ‘ home.
Management and staff are not trained, so this situation is not all their fault, however, even without training, as human beings, they should be able to recognise that the people in their care have basic human rights, which are being eroded away every day.
Institutionalisation, which is evil, is not exclusive just to Bulgaria as it is a world wide problem, however it becomes a bigger problem and unsafe when authorities attempt to hide it and keep it secret, which is certainly what is happening in Bulgaria.
Pete Brady Holding Out Hope 2.5.11
January 2011
Pete Brady undertook a visit to Samuil institution, which is home for 110 adults with Learning disabilities in northern bulgaria on behalf of Holding Out Hope from 8th till 13th December.
Pete took £1600 of the charities funds which was spent on clothes, food, and other essentials. A number of large groups were also taken out for pizza at a local restaurant, which was a real christmas treat for them. On Saturday a huge party was held at the institution for all residents, which again meant lots of treats that they would not normally have, followed by a fire work display !.
Pete was able to leave sufficient funds for two more groups of 12 to go out for pizza and also enough money to fund a new years eve party.
We had heard that there was a home for abandoned babies and toddlers in the town which we found quite easily. We found 32 children living in reasonable conditions, though they had no money for anything apart from essentials. Pete was able to buy nappies, baby food, fruit and lots of toys which were all a welcome gift from the charity. There was no way that the kids wanted to wait for christmas day, so all of the toys were unwrapped and given to the kids, which brought about tremendous excitement. We will continue to support this home in the future.
So generally this was a very successful trip and we now need to begin fundraising for our next project.
On the 10th Dec whilst Pete was away, Becky Cooper and a couple of friends did a bucket collection for holding Out hope around the pubs of thornbury and raised over £250. People were exceptionally generous and they were made welcome in every pub in Thornbury and the surrounding villages.