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ENLARGE
Photo courtesy Smith family Fallon graduate Stacie Reimer Smith and her husband, Jason Smith, are halfway through a two-year assignment in Bulgaria with the Peace Corps.
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ENLARGE
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www.bbc.co.uk The BBC aired "Bulgaria's Abandoned Children" in November 2007. Filmmaker Kate Blewett visited a government institution where 75 unwanted children are housed - most unable to talk because they've never been taught.
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Stacie Reimer Smith is losing sleep halfway around the world.
Smith and her husband Jason have finished one year of their two-year commitment to the Peace Corps to Bulgaria.
A 2001 Churchill County High School graduate, Smith received a degree in ministerial studies in 2006 and married two months later. Jason graduated in 2007, and the couple, citing a desire to help people, applied to the Peace Corps. Last August, they left for Bulgaria.
Smith works at the Youth House, a non-profit center for teens where she helps them learn English so they can participate in youth exchanges in Western Europe.
However, when Smith took side trips to a government orphanage and a school for disabled children, her sleepless nights began.
She initially taught the children English and played ball with them, but her role morphed into one of a nurse and social worker.
"The conditions there are awful, absolutely awful," Smith said during a recent visit home.
The "school" for the disabled is simply a place where parents have abandoned their children who have any sort of abnormality ... or none at all. The story is the same at the orphanage, designed to house teens who cause trouble ... and even those who don't.
Smith and her husband Jason have finished one year of their two-year commitment to the Peace Corps to Bulgaria.
A 2001 Churchill County High School graduate, Smith received a degree in ministerial studies in 2006 and married two months later. Jason graduated in 2007, and the couple, citing a desire to help people, applied to the Peace Corps. Last August, they left for Bulgaria.
Smith works at the Youth House, a non-profit center for teens where she helps them learn English so they can participate in youth exchanges in Western Europe.
However, when Smith took side trips to a government orphanage and a school for disabled children, her sleepless nights began.
She initially taught the children English and played ball with them, but her role morphed into one of a nurse and social worker.
"The conditions there are awful, absolutely awful," Smith said during a recent visit home.
The "school" for the disabled is simply a place where parents have abandoned their children who have any sort of abnormality ... or none at all. The story is the same at the orphanage, designed to house teens who cause trouble ... and even those who don't.
Smith said children can be dropped off at the orphanage by their parents, who retain legal custody but never return. Some children have physical issues - deemed untreatable in Bulgaria - which are compounded with the emotional trauma of being abandoned by their parents.
"It goes beyond emotional issues," Smith said, sitting on the edge of her seat, her eyes burning with conviction. "These kids totally shut down."
At the disabled children's school, the bedroom is a large dormitory lined with beds. Smith said she's seen children, not toddlers, sitting on plastic potty seats for hours with no caretaker attending them. Some children, unable to move themselves, are left sitting in chairs, staring at the wall.
She told a story of a 16-year-old girl, the size of a 10-year-old, who was unable to change her own clothes when she soiled herself. She could not speak, she could only drag Smith by the arm to the cabinet where the clean clothes were kept.
When asked what the girl's disability was and why she was at the orphanage in the first place, Smith wasn't sure. There was no obvious physical disability, but after years of neglect, the girl was rendered mute and developmentally delayed. Smith said there is no interaction between the staff and the children.
"Even a hug is totally absent. Every time I go there, I cry and cry on the bus ride home," Smith said.
"I'm powerless in a lot of ways. What's going to happen when I'm As a gone? And I'm only there once a week. These kids will die from neglect. And it's not just this orphanage. It's all over Bulgaria."
Smith is not alone in her observation of the conditions at Bulgaria's orphanages. The BBC produced a documentary in November 2007 entitled "Bulgaria's Abandoned Children."
"It goes beyond emotional issues," Smith said, sitting on the edge of her seat, her eyes burning with conviction. "These kids totally shut down."
At the disabled children's school, the bedroom is a large dormitory lined with beds. Smith said she's seen children, not toddlers, sitting on plastic potty seats for hours with no caretaker attending them. Some children, unable to move themselves, are left sitting in chairs, staring at the wall.
She told a story of a 16-year-old girl, the size of a 10-year-old, who was unable to change her own clothes when she soiled herself. She could not speak, she could only drag Smith by the arm to the cabinet where the clean clothes were kept.
When asked what the girl's disability was and why she was at the orphanage in the first place, Smith wasn't sure. There was no obvious physical disability, but after years of neglect, the girl was rendered mute and developmentally delayed. Smith said there is no interaction between the staff and the children.
"Even a hug is totally absent. Every time I go there, I cry and cry on the bus ride home," Smith said.
"I'm powerless in a lot of ways. What's going to happen when I'm As a gone? And I'm only there once a week. These kids will die from neglect. And it's not just this orphanage. It's all over Bulgaria."
Smith is not alone in her observation of the conditions at Bulgaria's orphanages. The BBC produced a documentary in November 2007 entitled "Bulgaria's Abandoned Children."
On the BBC Web site, filmmaker Kate Blewett wrote that filming was immensely depressing and she struggled to remain unobtrusive to finish the film. She said the institutions look clean on first viewing because the staff knows how to clean.
"What really matters is the condition of the children themselves - wasted limbs, bed sores, chronically dry and cracked skin, soggy thumbs that are sucked for a long period of time without medical help, relentless rocking and self-harming, cuts and bruises to the body," Blewett wrote.
She continued to say because the children lack access to sunlight and fresh air, they're deficient in vitamins, minerals and nutrients essential for growth so they're much smaller than healthy children - something Smith confirmed.
"The (institution) director and staff put this down to 'their disease.' Their disease is the institution," Blewett stated.
Smith said she wants to raise awareness about the conditions in Bulgaria's orphanages, and she encourages people to watch "Bulgaria's Abandoned Children."
"It will break your heart, I promise," Smith said.
Although she said she feels alone in this struggle, Smith is meeting the challenge. While home briefly for a friend's wedding, Smith found the time to learn some physical therapy techniques to use on the children. And she wants your help, too.
As a Peace Corps volunteer, she cannot accept money. Smith, though, is requesting donations of simple musical instruments like recorders and other items to stimulate the children's' imaginations.
"What really matters is the condition of the children themselves - wasted limbs, bed sores, chronically dry and cracked skin, soggy thumbs that are sucked for a long period of time without medical help, relentless rocking and self-harming, cuts and bruises to the body," Blewett wrote.
She continued to say because the children lack access to sunlight and fresh air, they're deficient in vitamins, minerals and nutrients essential for growth so they're much smaller than healthy children - something Smith confirmed.
"The (institution) director and staff put this down to 'their disease.' Their disease is the institution," Blewett stated.
Smith said she wants to raise awareness about the conditions in Bulgaria's orphanages, and she encourages people to watch "Bulgaria's Abandoned Children."
"It will break your heart, I promise," Smith said.
Although she said she feels alone in this struggle, Smith is meeting the challenge. While home briefly for a friend's wedding, Smith found the time to learn some physical therapy techniques to use on the children. And she wants your help, too.
As a Peace Corps volunteer, she cannot accept money. Smith, though, is requesting donations of simple musical instruments like recorders and other items to stimulate the children's' imaginations.
"They don't need toys," Smith said. "They need things to rehabilitate and develop their minds."
Her biggest goal is to have people from America visit the orphanage to see the reality for themselves. Smith hopes the raw truth about conditions in these orphanages will be exposed so change can begin.
"I'm seeing all these things that have to change," Smith said with tears in her eyes. "But I'm going nuts because I feel so alone."
People interested in Smith's work can reach her at the following addresses:
Stacie Smith
Youth House Sliven
12 Dr. Stoilov Str.
Sliven, 8800
Her biggest goal is to have people from America visit the orphanage to see the reality for themselves. Smith hopes the raw truth about conditions in these orphanages will be exposed so change can begin.
"I'm seeing all these things that have to change," Smith said with tears in her eyes. "But I'm going nuts because I feel so alone."
People interested in Smith's work can reach her at the following addresses:
Stacie Smith
Youth House Sliven
12 Dr. Stoilov Str.
Sliven, 8800
Bulgaria
E-mail: staciereimer@yahoo.com
People interested in Smith's work can reach her at the following addresses:
Stacie Smith
Youth House Sliven
12 Dr. Stoilov Str.
Sliven, 8800
Bulgaria
E-mail: staciereimer@yahoo.com
E-mail: staciereimer@yahoo.com
People interested in Smith's work can reach her at the following addresses:
Stacie Smith
Youth House Sliven
12 Dr. Stoilov Str.
Sliven, 8800
Bulgaria
E-mail: staciereimer@yahoo.com
