US Defense Dept Renovates Bulgarian Village Kindergarten

Commander Mark Imblum, US Navy, Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation at the US Embassy in Sofia, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a kindergarten in the Bulgarian village of Grozden renovated with US help. Photo by Gramofona.com

Bulgaria's village of Grozden, Sungurlare Municipality, has a brand new kindergarten facility after it was renovated with the help of the US government.

The "Zornitsa" kindergarten will house 50 children and now has a new roof, electric installations, bathrooms, and inside doors.

The value of the project is estimated at a total of USD 54 000, provided under the US Department of Defense's Humanitarian Assistance program. It had been carried out by the company SKE.

The administration at the Sungurlare municipality had reacted swiftly - approved the projects in 2 days and issued a construction permit, according to a SKE representative.

This is the second facility in the municipality, remodeled with US assistance, over the fact that the joint Bulgarian-American military training ground is located in the nearby Novo Selo, just 8 km from the village of Grozden.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by a number of officials, including Commander Mark Imblum, US Navy, Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation at the US Embassy in Sofia, Konstantin Grebenarov, Governor of the Burgas Region, Dr. Georgi Kenov, Mayor of Sungurlare Municipality, and MP Vera Petrova.

"Children are our biggest wealth and I am glad that you are helping us raise them in better conditions during such difficult times," the Mayor said during the ceremony.

According to the US Embassy in Sofia, in the last two years, the Office of Defense Cooperation has invested over USD 1 160 484 USD in various Humanitarian Assistance projects in Bulgaria. American and Bulgarian troops jointly volunteer their labor for the completion of these projects.  In realizing these projects, the US Government partners with non-governmental organizations and local Bulgarian firms, taking into account Bulgaria's social and economic development strategy.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!