The CHANGE is possible, when you can make it on your own!
Elisaveta Belobradova and Krisimira Hadjiivanova are two of Bulgaria's most popular bloggers. Elisaveta has a 10-year-long experience as an entrepreneur and trader. She currently works as a copywriter in an advertising agency. Krasimira has rich experience as a writer, copywriter and editor in online media outlets.
They met when Krasimira gave birth to her first child, while Elisaveta gave birth to her third. Both of them feel there is a lack of an online platform, where the problems and emotions facing mothers could be discussed sincerely, with a sense of humour and without edification. Thus, they decided to create the website Mayko Mila, which quickly gained popularity, becoming a place for Bulgarian mothers to find information, support and comfort they were not alone in what they were going through.
Apart from funny and entertainment topics, they also write about serious things – domestic violence, postpartum depression, chronic fatigue, addictions, financial dependency. They are aware that this type of support is important for women, because a mentally and physically strong mother is the most important prerequisite for a happy child.
Because of Mayko Mila, they have been contacted by mothers of disabled children. Their stories made Elisaveta and Krasimira realize how hard and different the lives of these women were, and how non-supported and isolated they felt – for several reasons. The main reason is that disabled children remain children for life. They are much more dependent on their mothers than the other kids. That's why many mothers are forced to leave their jobs so they could take care of their children, who need constant care, treatment and rehabilitation.
The difficult lives of these women often make their partners leave them. Thus, they are left alone and isolated, deprived of any possibility to work, to be financially independent and live full-fledged lives. A year ago, out of their solidarity for these women, Elisaveta and Krasimira created the platform Ole Male.
THE CHANGE they aim for:
Ole Male is an online platform bringing together the work of mothers of disabled children or children suffering from serious illnesses, who, out of need or love, have opened their second vocation – to create things with their hands. On the website, mothers show their hand-made products – decorations, scarves, hats, bags, jewelry, while Ole Male promotes their products live and online, showing them to the maximum possible number of people, who buy these products. Thus, mothers get revenues and have better lives.
The goal of Krasimira and Elisaveta is to turn Ole Male into a well-functioning system, which could qualify the mothers – give them knowledge, skills, techniques and materials. Meanwhile, their products should be produced in large numbers, so they can have good revenues and make their own decisions about their lives. The couple has already started partnering with designers. Together with them, they will develop prototypes of the high quality products, which will then be produced by the mothers.
In the future, Ole Male will offer more opportunities for work targeting mothers who are not into hand work, but are experts in various professions and occupations (accounting, translations, technical and administrative activities, etc.), which can be practiced from home. Their goals is to act as a link between the business and the mothers, so both parties can be partners and have mutual benefit – the companies will be able to outsource part of their activities to an expert out of the office, while the mothers will be able to work several hours a day from their homes and have good revenues.
This type of requalification model for parents of disabled children, offering them a chance to work from home, has been functioning for many years in many foreign countries.
Krasimira and Elisaveta are doing all this in a bid to allow the mothers of disabled kids to be financially independent, securing them support, understanding and a chance to share their skills and feel full-bodied people. This directly contributes to a better life for the women and their children.
Ole Male helps the mothers of disabled children get out of the shadow and take their lives back into their own hands – something that is easy and natural for many of us, but is almost impossible for them. Ole Male gives them a second job so they can enjoy their first one – taking care of their children.
Learn more at: www.olemale.bg