ABOUT US
Foundation team
Tania Koniarova
Executive Director and President of the Board
Educator, Psychological Consultant and Christian Counselor.
Masters in Music Pedagogy at AMDFA, Plovdiv; Psychological Counseling and Psychosomatics at “Chernorizets Hrabar” Varna Free University; Christian Counseling at Faculty of Theology of the National Alliance of United Churches of God; Licensed Psychotherapist at BSLE (Bulgarian Society of Logotherapy and Existentialism) and EALP (European Academy of Logotherapy and Psychology).
She has many years of experience in advising and counseling children, youth and adults with emotional and psychological problems, as well as families at risk.
She worked as a teacher, later as a teacher trainer, project manager of various religious and social projects for children, adults, and specifically for women.
Since 2013, she has been working for the Star of Hope Foundation as the Coordinator of the Foundation’s sheltered housing for youths, and since September 2017 she has been the Executive Director and representative of the Star of Hope Foundation.
Liubka Ivanova
Social Activities Specialist
Graduated from “St. Cyril and St. Methodius” University of Veliko Tarnovo, with a major in Social Activities and a second major in Health Insurance Systems.
Specific skills for working with disadvantaged people and providing social support and integration; providing social support in the process of crisis situations management.
Since December 2008, she has been working as a Social Activities Specialist at the Star of Hope Foundation. She is a teacher trainer and conducts training on “Supervision in practical training in social work at “St. Kliment Ohridski” Sofia University.
Violetka Lazarova
Administrator
Violetka is the administrator of the foundation as part of the project promoting youth employment through the Employment Agency.
She is a student at Sofia University “Saint Kliment Ohridski,” majoring in Romanian Philology. Working with children and young people is what truly inspires her, and her administrative skills contribute to the effective functioning and expansion of the foundation’s activities.
Polya Tomova
Art Therapy Specialist
After graduating from high school, she was accepted to the University of Forestry in Sofia, where she majored in Landscape Architecture. Her studies included subjects such as drawing, floristry, ikebana, and the design and creation of gardens.
In 2021, Polya was accepted into the Art Therapy program at the National Academy of Art in Sofia. There, she deepened her knowledge of therapeutic art practices, art history, and the psychology of creativity. She also completed an internship at a center for social integration and rehabilitation for people with disabilities, where art therapy was part of the rehabilitation process.
In late 2013, she joined the “Star of Hope” Foundation, where she found opportunities to work closely with children at risk and other people facing difficult circumstances. Her responsibilities included organizing and coordinating summer camps.
Throughout the last year, Polya has been working with disabled people, children at risk, and individuals with communication issues, where drawing serves primarily as a recreational activity.
Currently, Polya continues her work with the beneficiaries of the “Star of Hope” Foundation.
Slavi Dimov
Pre-press and Design associate
He graduated in Composition and Conducting at “Pancho Vladigerov” National Academy of Music, undergone professional courses in Music Psychology and Computer Studies.
Since March 2019, he has been part of the Star of Hope Foundation team, as an associate in the organization and maintenance of the site, pre-press and design of the advertising and printed materials of Star of Hope Foundation.
Management Board
Rumen Bordzhiev
Deputy Chairman of the Board
Dr. Nadia Stoykova
Member of the Board
Ivan Pavlov
Member of the Board
Honorary board
Magderich Taufik
Ron Hibbert
ЛуиLouis Enowс Енов
Our story
In 1999, a woman with a big heart for orphans and disadvantaged people founded the “Star of Hope” foundation.
Emilia Manolova has been taking care of orphans and disabled people since she was in her early 90s. This love, care and dedication of hers has been noticed by various people and sponsors who are provoked to support her in her virtue.
Thus, in 1999, Emilia Manolova registered the “Star of Hope” foundation. The light of hope, the longing to give a chance for life and happiness to every person, are the motives that inspire the founder of the foundation to work tirelessly until her death in 2017, for the well-being and happiness of everyone, and especially the wronged, rejected and injured people.
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