Young children from the Lilia Kindergarten in Stolipinovo, Europe’s largest Roma settlement, performed an enchanting song, poetry and dance performance for a delegation of Swiss MPs. Before visiting different project sites of the ZOV Programme (Health and Education for All), the Swiss MPs met with Mayor Ivan Totev and Deputy Mayor Georgi Tityukov.
With support offered under the Swiss contribution to EU enlargement and cohesion, the Plovdiv Municipality is implementing the ZOV project “All together – Improved Education and Health”. Project expenditures for the period of October 2016 - April 2019 amounts to BGN 1 077 495, of which 85 % are covered by the Swiss government and 15% is national co-financing.
With the help of educational mediators, the project team and schoolteachers carry out awareness work to increase parents’ support. Since autumn 2016, regular joint reading and discussion sessions with children, parents and teachers take place at the kindergarten, in order to further the children’s language and social skills, as well as to help foster closer family relations. The kindergarten includes a children’s library with donated books and two playgrounds. Expected to open its doors in September2018, a first of its kind Educational Center shall host extra-curricular activities, sports and cultural events, for school children in Stolipinovo.
Before going to the kindergarten, the Swiss delegation visited the newly built extension of the Health Center Iztochen, which opening will take place next August. The 4 new offices are meant to meet the healthcare needs of Stolipinovo inhabitants, many of which remain outside of the health system because of insufficient medical service availability or unpaid health insurance contributions. The ZOV team has already performed several hundreds of gynaecological, paediatric and general medical examinations.

