We would like to tell you a short story …
The story of a girl named Sarra.
Sarra was about 18-19 years old when she was finishing her vocational high school education and was considering what direction her life should take. One day, when she calmed down and gave this thought further consideration, she realized that there was a very strong passion and desire in her heart to help women who were suffering in different ways. She saw before her eyes a clear picture of exactly what they should look like and the base in which all those women in need of support would not only be cared for and strengthened but restored, invigorated and elevated in their lives. For her, it was a place of consolation, where everyone had a safe working environment in the professional roles they had always dreamed of developing into. Sarra specifically dreamed of seeing more girls making their biggest dreams come true …
Despite the clear vision she had, Sarra still had many lessons to learn and grow as a person. At 19, she already had it all. But not her own family. And that somehow became her priority … Two years later, at 21, she got married. And so, unwittingly, she became one of the women victims of this world…
For years, day after day, she endured an aggressive husband in the hope that her horror was temporary and would soon end. She sought help, support, understanding, a moment of peace and quiet … everywhere – friends, leaders and managers of organizations, authorities … But everyone would just run away. She did not blame them for that. But unfortunately, she had to continue to struggle on her own with physical pain, mental and emotional harassment, and fear, insecurity, loneliness, and abandonment. What sustained her? Or Who? Only she knows…
However, she never lost her vision of helping other women in her situation or a similar one. Somehow, miraculously, those first seeds were still alive in her heart, popping up in front of her eyes from time to time, reminding her of themselves. She did not give up! She focused more and more on what she loved to do – decorations, floral design and event organization. Some people thought that because of her success in business, she had the great support of the most wonderful husband in the world. But she was actually terrified, ashamed of living two lives at once. And wasn’t her work a kind of escape from reality at home and a stimulus for life? A little later, she had a wonderful son. Then everything was decided! She would no longer allow her life to be marked by excruciating and deep wounds that would ruin her child’s life as well. Realizing that she was a victim of domestic violence and would remain a single mother, she finally sought the support of her parents and got divorced.
“Sarra – that’s actually me!
My story continues today. But already bright and beautiful, calm and full of security, acceptance, tenderness and love.
It took me years to recover from the traumas. I needed a new focus and work on myself. I went through a lot of pain, a lot of tears, a lot of prayers… A period through which I was also a volunteer in two big organizations fighting human trafficking and prostitution.
I realized that since 2007 I have been prepared to have a real awareness of the problems of women from vulnerable groups, to serve them with much more attention, passion and desire than the original ones!
Despite everything, the vision still seemed bigger than my strength, and my homeland was unable to help me. So I decided – I moved to the United States with my son. But at the end of 2016, everything in my otherwise wonderful daily life was screaming to go back to Bulgaria, which was and still is dear to my heart, and to give life to the SARRA Foundation right here.
Even before 2005, I saw the need for an organization to support women, specifically in my homeland.
Thus, SARRA became a reality in Bulgaria!”