Volunteers on March 23 assisted people with severe disabilities to reach the alpine heights of the Rila Mountains in western Bulgaria. The climb was organized by the Ela I Ti (You Come Too) foundation.
'The Same Dreams As Us': The Volunteers Helping Disabled Bulgarians Climb Mountains
Volunteers help Milena Velkovska, 43, who has cerebral palsy, climb the Rila Mountains in western Bulgaria on March 23.
The trio were a part of an expedition organized by the Ela I Ti (You Come Too) foundation to enable five people with severe disabilities reach one of the lakes of the famous mountain range with the help of 50 volunteers.
Gergana Doychinova founded the Ela I Ti foundation in 2017 to help Bulgarians with disabilities experience the great outdoors. Those with disabilities "have the same dreams as us," she told RFE/RL. Organizing outings with volunteers enables people suffering debilitating diseases to "experience the atmosphere of the mountains" in a way they are unable to do alone, she said.
Volunteers pull Alexandra Alexandrova, who has cerebral palsy, in a sled up the Rila Mountains.
Doychinova said the winter climb on Rila was particularly challenging as there were only three sleds and five people with disabilities hoping to ascend. "Some of the volunteers had to go up the mountain twice, dragging the sleds."
Volunteers ascending Rila on March 23.
The Ila I Ti foundation relies on donations and support from sponsors for climbing equipment and specialty devices such as the sleds used to transport people.
A group of volunteers pull a person with disabilities up a mountain.
Some of the volunteers taking part in the March 23 expedition traveled from Varna, in the far east of Bulgaria, to take part. The youngest volunteer was aged just 7.
Velkovska is pulled along a mountain plateau by volunteers.
Velkovska told AFP during the Rila expedition that, "for the first time I can see the snow from up close and not just through my window."
Volunteers pull sleds up Rila on March 23.
Alexandrova, another beneficiary of the expedition on the spring day, said, "All I can say is that this is amazing. Words aren't enough right now."
Volunteers take a break from pulling Lybomir Elenkov, who has cerebral palsy, up the Rila Mountains.
Doychinova and her team are now working on organizing summer outings that will include a hike up Vitosha, the iconic mountain that rises above Bulgaria's capital, Sofia.