In Bulgarian prisons, there is violence, misery, and corruption...One of the World's Toughest Places....
Art Angel altered one of the most ruthless and defective systems. Huge and heavy state, nostalgia for totalitarianism, Putin's influence, bureaucracy, corrupt officials, bonds and dependencies in appointments... this is Bulgaria today, transforming numerous social institutions into lucrative corruption schemes and human dumping sites.
What we did was:
1. Develop, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Social Welfare, an innovative project targeted at transforming the funding infrastructure in Bulgaria.
2. To collaborate with local administration and local executive in order to demonstrate the necessity and efficacy of innovation in the social sector.
3. Combat corrupt methods and practises through the media, conferences, and campaigns! Exposing corrupt practises and corrupt dependencies. Exposing the corrupt network in the Bulgarian NGO sector.
4. Working with international institutions and diplomatic missions in Bulgaria.
5. Complete self-financing of the Project, with the goal of demonstrating to international donors that there are people in Bulgaria who desire change and are willing to engage their own resources to make Bulgaria a modern and respectable place.
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An illustration of how and at what cost European funding is utilised in Bulgaria.
The renovation of cabins cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and this occurred under the oblivious gaze of European administrators. In the Art Angel project, for the same price as the renovation of this shanty, the construction of a modern art centre, a production facility, and the development of a park space are envisioned.
The Art Angel Project's primary flaw is that it does not fall into any corruption schemes. As transparency partners, several European Embassies and the American Embassy in Bulgaria were invited. A Scandinavian accounting firm was invited and was collaborating with the Scandinavian and German Chambers of Commerce to audit and advise the initiative. The Art Angel initiative had zero tolerance for the widespread corruption in Bulgaria.
The primary issue with Bulgarian prisons is that they are part of the country's totalitarian legacy in all its manifestations. Communism is the carrier of a lack of personal initiative and accountability, bureaucratization, corrupt officials, and a totalitarian state with no concept of private property and enterprise. Bulgaria is the most corrupt country in Europe, despite the fact that every other institution in the nation has transformed over time. In a new reality, prisons continue to exist in an uncontrolled environment from the past.
Functional foods enriched with vitamins and supplements are essential for the prevention of diseases and maintaining good health for inmates, depending on their living conditions. Plant food and source foods saturated with useful vegetable fats and vitamins are essential for maintaining good health in prisons. In 1947, experiments were conducted in Japan to test the feeding of imprisoned prisoners, revealing health anomalies such as the lack of a vitamin B complex, such as insulin production. Current research shows that the role of Omega 3 and Omega 6 in the diet is significant in psychiatric illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia.
In the context of the Coronavirus Pandemic 2020, the relevance of daily intake of vitamins as a prevention of infectious diseases is extremely relevant. Vitamin A, an anti-inflammatory vitamin, has been shown to increase the body's immunity and resistance to infections.
Harmful food, which do not contain beneficial substances as a precondition of violence, is a significant concern in prison environments. Prison meals meet nutritional guidelines, but purchased items, such as junk food, may not. Studies have shown that high sugar products can lead to excessive consumption, disrupting metabolic and neurophysiological processes.
Reducing junk food consumption is associated with reduced offending and self-harm in prison environments. The HM Prison Service has a duty to ensure the health of its residents, and the removal of such items may create resistance among prisoners. A slow incremental alteration of available items, along with promotion of alternative healthier ones, may improve prisoners' health.
Nutrients protect and support the treatment of cardiovascular disease and immunodeficiency related to vision and oral cavity. In Bulgarian prisons, which already lack dental care and competent health care, prevention is of paramount importance.
The Social Business project in Bulgaria aims to provide essential services to inmates and society at a cost of zero from any budget and funding. The project aims to solve various problems, such as illnesses, misery, lack of freedom of speech, inefficiency, corruption, failed states, institutions, and society. The idea is to supply what is needed and build the main production inside the prison, reinvesting 100% of the profit back for good. The annual program includes nutritional food, prevention and care for the health of inmates and staff, functional food, social service, and art and functional spaces. The project aims to create art centers, cultural exchange spaces, free hostels, help centers, coffee roasters and bakeries, and research on corruption and its impact in developing countries.
The project focuses on the influence of healthy food on inmates' stress levels, philological health, and prevention of infectious diseases. It also explores the idea of law among inmates and their social growth and contributions to society. The project also explores the potential of social enterprise as an instrument for fighting corruption and harmful practices, providing a new method for financing social services. The project considers social business models as a solution to financial stagnation and reduced funding.
Iliyan Kuzmanov – Founder and Director
Borislava Georgieva – Chief Executive Officer