The pioneers
This is how it started …..
Bulgaria is a country of great beauty, but also of deep need and poverty. We, Peter and Anja Grootaert, were reminded of this through an encounter with an elderly man, and it touched us deeply. In January 2023, we traveled to Bulgaria with our children, Reynaldo and Valeria, to live and work there.
We want the people of Bulgaria to know that they are precious in God's eyes. We want to meet urgent needs, but above all, we want to offer assistance that leads to long-term improvements.
For this purpose, we established the Ti si tsenen foundation, which means: You are precious.
This applies to: the elderly – who feel forgotten and alone, the disadvantaged young person – who doesn't know what the future holds, the disabled – who need help and guidance, the sick – who fear for their lives, and so on.
In October 2025, a former retail space was purchased for the foundation. We are currently renovating it.
It will function as a community center, from which activities can be organized in a more targeted manner.
Reynaldo and Valeria have taken care of the seven stray cats and three stray dogs that lived around our house.
These wild animals have since been tamed somewhat, have recovered through medical care and proper nutrition, and now form a friendly group.
