"This week will stay in my heart forever."

Kostadin lives with his mother, his grandmother and his disabled sister, Daniela, in a single room. They eat, sleep, and cook in this room. They have no bathroom and their only toilet is outdoors, which they share with two other families.

One of Mission Without Borders' staff members, Ventsislav, who has worked with Bulgarian families in poverty for many years, was struck by how tough Kostadin’s life was:

“I’m used to seeing poverty, but this family really touched me. You rarely see three generations forced to live together in one room.”

Kostadin has had no chance of a childhood. There is no time or space for him to play football with his friends, and the idea of swimming was no more than a dream. Every day he returns home from school to help with chores.

So, when Kostadin was invited to join a Mission Without Borders’ Summer Camp, along with his sister, he was overjoyed:

“I couldn't believe I got to do everything I love for a whole week. The food here is the best I have ever had! I’d also like to say a big thank you to the wonderful volunteers who taught me how to swim.

“Thank you for giving me a week where I can be myself and enjoy being a kid! No-one has ever given me so much happiness, joy, and support,” he explained

Last summer, 6,638 young people attended Mission Without Borders’ Summer Camps across Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine. These’ Summer Camps give kids lasting memories of joy, the chance to build lasting friendships and an offer of hope for the future.

It costs around £164 (£24/day) to send a child on a week’s Summer Camp and this year we hope to raise at least £75,000 to cover the costs of 450 children. Please do consider covering the cost for a child to go for one or more days this year