Souvenirs, jewellery, knitwear, painted cards, all of them made by the society of mothers united by one cause they all share – to help their children with special needs because of a disability. In 2020 they found a way to help themselves – they set up a group on social media called: Buy a gift from the mothers of children with disabilities. This gives a chance to dozens of women to be creative, women who have to stay shut up at home for years to care for their children with special needs. Some people say the result of the work of the mothers from the group is more important than the work of the people from several social institutions. In their group the women say that drawing, modelling, all creative work makes them happy. The mothers frequently make souvenirs and jewellery to order, and now they have started making martenitsas for 1 March.

The fact is that what brings them together are not exactly the problems, it is the path they have to cover to happiness, in spite of all difficulties and obstacles. There is a special feature on Radio Varna, BNR dedicated to the mothers and artisans from the Buy a gift… group. It is from Radio Varna that we learn the story of Tatyana Nedkova from Stara Zagora who crafts jewellery using natural stones and crystals. Her son Alex developed muscular atrophy and now the family is seeking help abroad. The disease is incurable but at least its progress has been halted. The boy is in a wheelchair, and, happily, is developing and learning on a par with other children. Tatyana started making jewellery four months ago when she learnt there was a group run by mothers of children with disabilities. “Making jewellery is a hobby of mine but I didn’t expect to show such potential, or that all of the things I make would turn out so beautiful,” Tatyana Nedkova says and adds:

“With this jewellery I want to give expression to my positive energy and I think they pass that energy onto the people who wear them. They make them see the positive things happening all around. The things I make are all one-of-a-kind. I get contacted by people who want something made after their own design, and I advise them how to do that. I once chanced upon an online group making bracelets and necklaces and I started exchanging information with people well ahead of me from Bulgarian and international groups. That was how it started. I am very happy now to be part of the group Buy a gift from the mothers of children with disabilities, I hadn’t expected that our work would develop to such an extent and be such a success. That is my job now, and the people there are like a second family to me. I would like to tell everyone that they can find joy in the smallest of things – if we smile and send out a message of goodness.”

Interview by Radio Burgas, BNR

Editing by Gergana Mancheva