In January 2003 USAID initiated a pilot project using education to combat child prostitution and trafficking. The project is being implemented by Creative Associates International. Inc. in collaboration with 5 Bulgarian NGO's. The target area is an economically disadvantaged community in Ruse, Bulgaria, a city located on the Danube border with Romania and known to be on an important trafficking rote.

The project has five primary objectives:

• Raising the awareness of youth, parents, teachers, and local authorities on the dangers of prostitution and trafficking;
• Improving school retention of economically disadvantaged youth, particularly members of ethnic minorities, through teaching and summer programs;
• Providing vocational trainings, job counseling, and life skills classes to at-risk youth;
• Developing a model for collection of data on child prostitution and trafficking, and strengthening NGOs working against child prostitution and trafficking.

Bulgarian NGOs responsible for implementing the project are: The Women's Alliance for Development, the Step by Step program, the Society for Neglected Children, the Open Society Club - Ruse, and the United Nations Association.

The design of the project provides for participation of WAD and its methodological helping in all activities of the partners. The main idea is the rich experience and the capacity of WAD as an organization with strong Training Center and national network to be used. A part of the responsibilities of WAD are the trainings for partner's organizations - in new programs for prevention of trafficking, in specific work with disadvantaged children. WAD designed a tuition of the partners, which aims their organizational building, too.

Sponsor: USAID