Joana Marinova and Diana Marinova study at the English-language school in Ruse. They joined Equilibrium’s summer camp for children as volunteers. Here they tell their story.

The venue for this year’s camp was the natural park on the high plateau above Shumen. The area is steeped in ancient history and, despite being located close to the city, provides the feel of being in “the great outdoor”.

Diana and Joana had been among the young volunteers who played a central role in fundraising for the camp and they are graduates of our volunteer training programme designed to shape young social entrepreneurs. The sisters designed the programme of activities and led the action with support from Equilibrium team members.

“For us, this camp was exciting, full of humour and positive emotions. The atmosphere was great – we visited new places, learned a lot and we were close to the beautiful Bulgarian nature. We got to know the children really well and to identify their many talents. We were also inspired by the dedication and skill of the Equilibrium staff and their devotion to working with disadvantaged children.

Every day started with laughter and ended with laughter but emotions were especially high on the evening of the talent contest (an EQ tradition). The kids showed that they are real entertainers, singing and acting.

At the start, we worried about being able to keep the kids interested and engaged. Would our games be successful? We worried about how to keep control. However, we soon learned that it’s more about sharing experience and respecting each other. Most of all – it’s about having fun. Everybody learns more when they are having a good time.

We are glad that we were part of this team, we were able to get to know the children. For us it was an adventure we will never forget and we hope that we can do it again.