This group stands a chance to win €15,000 to help young LGBTI Bulgarians – and all they need from you is a click.
For the first time in history, an LGBTQ organisation in Bulgaria has a chance to win THE CHANGE – a competition for social entrepreneurs hosted by a major local TV channel – and receive a prize of €15,000.
Single Step is a foundation that provides life-saving support to young LGBTQ Bulgarians. Out of more than 200 organisations, they’ve been selected as one of the five finalists.
The thing is: an international online vote will decide who makes it to the Top 3. The winner will then be selected by a jury.
“In a country where hatred and abuse against LGBTI people is still the norm, Single Step just can’t rely only on votes coming from Bulgaria”, says Ivan Dimov, Single Step’s co-founder.
Bulgaria was recently reported by the European Commission as one of the least LGBTQ-friendly places in Europe.
karendesuyo via Flickr
Single Step started a campaign to get people from around the world to come together and cast a vote. If you have a Facebook account, you can cast your vote here.
Ivan decided to start Single Step after he met a young man called Andrei, which is not his real name as he wishes to remain anonymous for his own safety.
After coming out to his mother at 17, Andrei was forced to see a psychiatrist, who tried to ‘cure’ him of being gay. When Ivan met him, Andrei was still recovering after trying to take his own life.
“Winning this competition would be game-changing for us,” says Ivan. “This prize would enable us to expand our online support, launch a helpline and community centre, and help more young people like Andrei.”
The impact of winning this would be tremendous not only for Single Step but for the thousands of LGBTQ kids who will be watching the competition on national television – and who might otherwise not see any other positive Bulgarian LGBTQ role models.
Voting ends on February 5. You can help Single Step change lives in Bulgaria by clicking here.
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