Areté Youth was founded by current and former development workers in 2005. Since inception, we have been joined by an inspired group of Bulgarians and Roma who share our passion for building success through investments in social networks and educational pursuits.
From business entrepreneurs to Roma sector experts with proven experience running large and small initiatives close to the ground, our team connected and commited to our work and mission. As Americans, Bulgarians, and Roma, we strive to build a diverse team with different perspectives to contribute to the long-term vision of the organization. Although geographically dispersed between Sofia, New York and Washington, D.C., today’s technology has enabled this broad reach to be our strength.
Radostina Chaprazova / Country Director
Radostina (Radost) Chaprazova receives her BA degree in Political science and mass communications at the American University in Bulgaria in 2003. She is currently pursuing an MA in Public management and policies at the Faculty of philosophy of the Sofia university St. Kliment Ohridski.
In 2005 Radost is an intern at the European Commission, DG Employment and social affairs. By 2010 works as an expert at the European Funds for Competitiveness Directorate at the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism and then returns to the NGO sector as part of the Roma Program of the Open Society Institute – Sofia.
More than 15 years Radost is an informal leader in her community and holds various positions in the civil sector as the focus of her work is to mobilize resources and facilitate capacity building among Roma youth, support policy and advocacy initiatives that promote integration and equal opportunities of the Roma.
Radost shares the mission and message of Arete to be the best you can be; reaching your highest human potential. She believes that everyone has their own unique potential, but not everyone gets the chance to develop it, being deprived of support and right direction.
Together with socially responsible partners from the business, educational institutions, NGOs and volunteers of Arete, Radost will commit her work on establishing and sustaining a network of knowledgeable, confident, young leaders and competitive, result-oriented professionals to serve as role models for their Roma community.
You can contact Radost at radost@areteyouth.org
Daniela Adamova / Financial Director
Daniela (Dani) Adamova began her career as a teacher and as a member of a small association for regional development in her home town. She worked with youth leaders, organized extracurricular activities and attended several workshops for NGO Governance and Human Resource Management organized by Institute for Sustainable Communities. She was also an elected member of a City Council for four years where she was part of the budget and education committees.
Dani had worked in a variety of capacities with the Peace Corps Programming and Training Department since 1999 before joining the Arete team. As a Youth Development Program Associate she worked with many Roma NGOs, youth leaders and volunteers throughout the country. In 2005, she had a chance to see first-hand how volunteers and Roma youth leaders were empowering young Roma students at the camp “Forward Together”. She was deeply inspired by the motivation and attitudes of the camp participants. Additionally, Dani’s teaching experience at one of the largest Roma neighbourhoods in the country, Stolipinovo, gave her perspective on the Roma community and an opportunity to learn about Roma culture. Dani has been working in a multi-cultural environment for more than ten years and she believes that the key to success is to keep an open mind and create a positive learning atmosphere.
Many things drew Dani to Arete, mostly her belief of the culture of giving back. She was given many opportunities in life and felt it was time for her to give back by encouraging Roma youth to focus on educational pursuits and to realize the importance of social and professional networks.
In her free time, Dani likes to travel, to dance and to spend time with friends and family.
You can contact her at dani@areteyouth.org
Hristo Hristov / PROGRAM MANAGER
Hristo Hristov is a Program Manager of Zaedno Napred (Forward Together) Program.
Hristo completed his secondary education at a language school in Sofia, and at this moment he is among the few students with excellent academic achievements in the Masters` Law Program of the New Bulgarian University..
He helps to his community from an early age and organizes many different initiatives by himself. Hristo has joined the Arete Youth Volunteer Network in 2018. He is an active volunteer and proactively takes part in many seminars among which “Strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations to use anti-discrimination mechanisms” and “Leaders for change”, where he is the only representative of the Foundation.
Together with other students from all over the world he has participated in the Work & Travel USA program for two consecutive summers now.
You can contact him at hristo@areteyouth.org