16 Organizations for which “It’s Not Just Business” – here’s who will be participating in LET’s GO Program 2023
Social entrepreneurs – the entrepreneurs who want to change the world! These are the organizations that solve the most serious societal problems. Those that are either invisible or no one takes care of them. A team of people who don't want to wait, but move – sometimes with small and sometimes with big steps towards a better future.
Let's GO is here for another year to support social entrepreneurs from idea to launch because the road is tough, but we're going through it together. Together with the help of the responsible business that helps social enterprises at the start – sharing with them knowledge, experience and giving them courage! This year, our LET'S GO training and mentoring program will include as many as 16 organizations that have decided to take matters into their own hands, that do not wait for problems to solve themselves. The preliminary selection stopped at 16 applications (four more than last year), because their ideas and inspiration are amazing!
That's who they are!
1. Association "SPHERI" with Garden O`belya
Association "SFERI" with the project Garden for Urban Agriculture O'Belya, we support the idea of harmonious interaction between people, Nature and everything around us. With the O'Belya Garden project, we are working towards spreading good practices, both in the field of agriculture, and for a greener and maintained urban environment. Another of the goals is the possibility of forming a community and an environment of mutual support.
2. Foundation "Community to help addicts"
The "Community to help addicts" foundation was established in September 2020 in the town of Gabrovo. The mission of the founder of the foundation is to lend a hand to many people who have fallen into the grip of addictions. The belief in the cause that "Not all people are addicts, but all addicts are people" defines the main goals of the Foundation – to create accessible centers for counseling and rehabilitation of addicts and to provide support to their families. Foundation "Community to help addicts " is an accredited provider of social services for people with addictions, as well as for their families, relatives and friends. Its accreditation is certified by the relevant licenses issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of the Republic of Bulgaria. The great ambition of the Foundation is to obtain state support to ensure completely free access to effective addiction treatment and rehabilitation.
3. Center for legal assistance – Voice in Bulgaria
The main activities of the "Centre for Legal Assistance – Voice in Bulgaria" foundation are providing legal assistance and advocacy for the rights of refugees and migrants in Bulgaria. We join the Let's Go 2023 Program: – willingly to share what we have learned over the years, to tell motivating stories about the successful integration of migrants, to exchange knowledge, expertise and lessons from the accumulated experience. – in the belief that our participation in the Program will help us become better at what we do; will encourage us to take the path of social entrepreneurship to reach more people and leave a lasting mark on the world we live in.
4. Caritas Vitania
Caritas Vitania is a charitable Catholic organization established in 2011. The mission of the organization is to serve people in need – the poor, the sick, the oppressed, children, families and single people – and to call and encourage all people of good will to do the same. The organization implements various social projects as well as volunteer initiatives. Also, a social enterprise of the foundation – "Caritas Workshop" has been operating for 5 years, in which people from vulnerable groups produce soaps and candles.
5. "Decor Ideas Studio" Foundation
The main focus of the foundation is publicizing the problems and increasing public awareness in relation to the lack of opportunities for employment and the acquisition of new knowledge and skills by disadvantaged persons in a real work environment. Ensuring the employment of these persons solves a number of problems, incl. social isolation, self-esteem, making sense of time, etc. We are happy to join the Let's Go 2023 program. with several ideas for social entrepreneurship to prioritize and implement successfully already this year.
6. MedicalSpace.org
The youth team of MedicalSpace Bulgaria chooses fair access to quality medical education as its mission. Through the MedicalSpace.org platform and social media capabilities, medical students create and share learning materials to help current and future colleagues. The next step in the development of the organization is the participation in the Let's Go 2023 program and the modeling of a plan for sustainable business activity.
7. Cultural Perspectives Foundation
The Cultural Perspectives Foundation was created by a group of like-minded individuals driven by the intention to build a sustainable and independent cultural environment, through which to initiate a new model for educating and inspiring through various art forms. Artistic director of the foundation is the Bulgarian soprano Ina Kancheva. The "Cultural Perspectives" Foundation successfully implements many projects in which various artistic formats are integrated. One of the main projects of the foundation is CULTURAMA – a performing arts festival, a platform for ideas and performance, dedicated to the arts of theatre, music, visual arts, dance and literature. An opportunity for young artists to present their point of view to an audience and make their mark as authors. At the core of each edition of the festival is the National Scholarship "Striving for the Stars" – a program of the "Cultural Perspectives" Foundation, which supports young talents in five areas of art: visual arts, literature, music, dance, theater/performance. The selected fellows are part of the CULTURAMA artists who present themselves and their projects, after the support received as idea carriers for free artists looking for new directions.
8. Center for non-formal education and cultural activity ALOS
The mission of ALOS is to create a suitable cultural and educational environment for a fulfilling life in Bulgaria. Participate in LET's GO with business development to support their museum's Education Through Art program to provide accessible hands-on play-based learning on historical and environmental topics. They want to upgrade and promote their tannery where they make educational historical board games.
9. Svetna Foundation
The mission of the Svetna Foundation is to support the independent life of unemployed youth and mature people without the necessary skills and qualifications to prevent them from dropping out of the labor market and falling into social isolation. The social objective is realized through group and individual support, mentoring and training in trades, as well as the provision of temporary employment. This mission is guaranteed through Svetna's economic activities – production of a new generation of corporate and individual gifts with added value. The first production of the social enterprise is lighting fixtures made entirely of recycled materials, whose customers are socially and environmentally committed aesthetes.
10. Karin Home Foundation
The "Karin Home" Foundation was founded by the Bulgarian diplomat and philanthropist Ivan Stanchov and started working as a rehabilitation center for children 26 years ago in Varna. In 2022, Karin Home managed to realize a long-standing dream of designing and building a modern therapeutic complex, which opened its doors in September 2022. Currently, Karin Home has a modern functional center that provides therapeutic services for children with special needs from all over the country, supports early child development and parenting in an environment fully tailored to children's perceptions and needs. *Photographer Gergana Encheva.
11. Center for Social Services in the Community "Our House" 
The Center for Social Services in the Community Foundation "Our House" was established in September 2021. It is the result of long-term cooperation with various community groups – families at risk, families of children with multiple disabilities, specialists in the social sphere, volunteers, as well as international partner organizations, who stood behind the need to create an organization that works for ensuring equal access of the community to social services that meet the individual needs of people.
12. Library at the "N. Y. Vaptsarov – 1895" Primary School, Dulovo
The library at the "N. J. Vaptsarov – 1895" is a cultural and information institute that collects, preserves, organizes and provides equal access to its resources to the citizens of Dulovo and the municipality. The local community has an increasing need for us to become a place for communication and exchange of ideas.
13. SOS Children's Villages Bulgaria
SOS Children's Villages Bulgaria supports families in creating a safe, stable and caring environment for children. We actively support young people leaving care to achieve their independence – health, education, housing, financial stability, employment and professional development. In all activities, we also participate in the development of local communities.
We are joining Let's Go because we want to develop business ideas to support our social work, the local community and showcase the talent of the children and young people in our care through the objects, products and beauty they create.
14. Analysis and Solutions Factory Foundation
Our organization develops a permanent mentoring program "Generation" to promote career preparation, professional development and support when starting a first job for children and youth at risk, with the main goal of ensuring conditions for an equal start in life and social integration. We provide resources and conditions for children in disadvantaged families to prevent dropping out of school and to continue their education.
15. "SEED" Foundation
SEED Foundation – a non-governmental organization registered for public benefit. The name of the foundation perfectly describes the spheres of our activity: SEED (Stability, Education, Environment, Dignity) or Stability, Education, Environment and Dignity.
16. Association "Development and Integration"
Association "Development and Integration" was registered in March 2015 for public benefit. Develops a Complex of social services for young people up to 25 years old without family support, at risk and disadvantaged. It supports their personal, career, professional and social skills and development to start an independent and independent life.
These are the heroes of Let's GO 2023. And now it's time for the adventure to begin – organizations will meet the right mentors and trainers, get knowledge on business planning, financial forecasts, legal services, accounting advice and mentors who solve specific problems. We look forward to seeing the progress of all the organizations, because it is they who will give back to society a lot by starting to support their causes in a sustainable way.
