ALBENA Alexieva has great vision, but she cannot see. Alexieva contracted meningitis as a child and lost her sight at 14, in 1976. Like almost all disabled people her age in Bulgaria, she grew up in a parallel society. When she received her German Shepherd guide dog, Kamila, from Germany in 1999, her life changed forever. Because Alexieva now understands what is possible for blind people, she wants to share this feeling of liberation with other Bulgarians. Alexieva has created the first guide dog school in the Balkans.
Alexieva created the "Eyes on Four Paws" Foundation in 2001 after realising that the blind in Bulgaria would never be able to integrate into society by staying at home, afraid to leave the house. As she puts it, "there are many blind in Bulgaria who are prisoners who like their prisons." The streets of Sofia are intimidating to able-bodied individuals, because of uneven pavements on which cars are parked, unclear "zebra" crossing zones, and drivers who do not yield to pedestrians. Alexieva knows that despite the challenges facing the blind who wish to walk freely in the world, the benefits of living life fully make it all worthwhile.
I met Alexieva as part of my work as USAID-sponsored consultant at Business Centre Serdon. The foundation engaged me weekly to develop their business plan, and in the process I have found a story whose themes reach far beyond organisational structure, cash flows, and target markets.
Bulgaria has approximately 17 000 blind people, according to the Union of the Blind in Bulgaria. Roughly 60 per cent lost their sight as senior citizens and are too old to be considered for a guide dog. The rest either lost their sight through accident or illness, or were born blind. Alexieva estimates there are 1 000 people in Bulgaria, between the ages of 18 and 40, who would be excellent candidates for a guide dog. Today, just two guide dogs work in Bulgaria. If a Bulgarian wanted to go to another country and purchase a guide dog, it would cost approximately 6 000 euro.
One of the most important challenges to the blind is mobility, which can be met through three primary means: a human helper, a white cane, or a guide dog. In Bulgaria, the most common method is a human helper, but that is problematic because a helper serves to deepen the sense of dependency and helplessness. White canes are a less common method used in Bulgaria. In Alexieva's opinion, white canes are not a good solution. The cane cannot anticipate information about the surroundings or the way ahead and communicate that to the blind person. That is the unique ability of the dog. The cane broadcasts the presence of the blind to the world, but the dog broadcasts the presence of the world to the blind.
The dog communicates control. With Kamila, she walks swiftly and confidently, and others around her notice that confidence. They treat her with respect. But most importantly, Kamila has helped Alexieva overcome the feeling of helplessness. To meet Alexieva, it is hard to believe she was ever helpless. But she recognises the importance of having something that depends on her, not the other way around. She must care daily for Kamila. The psychological power of this experience changed Alexieva's life, and it was then that she realised that she wanted to share that liberation with other Bulgarians.
The school is close to becoming a reality. Four golden retriever puppies now live with foster families, preparing to start the first class at the Bulgarian Guide Dog School this summer. The school's first dog trainer, Martina Marinova, is currently training in Russia. In June, to complete Marinova's training, a blind Bulgarian person will fly to the school, near Moscow, to work with Marinova and the dog Lokos, a yellow Labrador retriever. Upon graduation, all three will return to Bulgaria, where Lokos will go to live with the blind person, and Marinova will begin work in Sofia with the four puppies.
At the same time, Alexieva is in the process of purchasing a second group of puppies from a breeder in the Czech Republic who supplies dogs to the Guide Dog School in Prague. These puppies need to be placed in foster homes for approximately one year. She is currently accepting applications from interested people.
Many challenges still lie ahead. The Guide Dog School has no school. Alexieva has secured a plot of land from the Sofia Municipality which they intend to buy for approximately 40 000 leva. In addition, the foundation will build a school facility complete with offices, boarding kennels, veterinary facilities, and dormitories. The cost of the building is difficult to estimate, but will be at least 400 000 euro, according to plans drawn up by architects. Fortunately, the foundation has received 100 000 leva as a donation from M-Tel, and other services are being donated. Bulgaria Air offers the foundation reduced fares for flights to Prague and Moscow. Royal Canin donates dog food. Veterinary care is also donated.
Alexieva's plan is to train the dogs and then provide them to the blind free of charge. In other countries, government support underwrites the cost of a guide dog. That is not true here, where Alexieva has fought to get a guide dog put on the same government-approved medical assistance list as a wheelchair.
Alexieva's income-generating plan is a combination of grants and a social enterprise- an obedience school for Sofia's approximately 100 000 pet dogs- which can create revenue for the Guide Dog School.
"Eyes on Four Paws" faces business challenges that would intimidate any small business owner. It faces social challenges that are far more complicated. With little awareness of guide dogs in Bulgaria, Alexieva needs to convince both the government and blind people that the school is worthwhile. Under communism, the blind were kept separate, working in factories for the blind, living in block buildings together. It is a slow process to reverse that type of pervasive attitude of marginalisation and separateness. But I have no doubt that Alexieva can do it.

If any Sofia Echo readers are interested in becoming involved with the work of the foundation, through donations, volunteer work, or acting as a foster family for a golden retriever, contact 980 4241 in Sofia or www.e4p.net or e4p@abv.bg