The actor Leo Cadelli, known for his donation platform “Friends, help”, a few days ago made a large-scale donation campaign to help a family with three children from Smolyan. Days after the end of the campaign, through which the family got a new home and each of the children got their own room, we talk to Leo Cadelli about the initiative and his cause.
– What prompted you to help the family in Smolyan? There are many young families with small children who are in a difficult situation in the country.
– The responsibility they have in their family, that they try to cope by themselves, and not wait for someone from outside to help them and only complain. The care they give to the children. A huge mistake is made by those who think that everyone else owes them. Thus, they are neither useful to themselves nor to others. This family is not like that, and that’s why I thought they deserved to be helped.
– How are you sure who you should help and that this person is not misleading you?
– Those wishing to be helped send a video and documents, if we – myself and the volunteers decide that this case is worth checking – I go to the place. I already have a lot of experience in such campaigns and I can judge people. The family from Smolyan is doing its best to cope alone. But at the end of this month they had to vacate the accommodation with three small children, and the renovation in the floor they bought in a house was half done and it was impossible to live in it. The family lived abroad until recently, they returned because the father needs treatment. Despite all the difficulties, they managed to do half the renovation of their home and were living on rent in another home. The father works in logging, the mother – in a supermarket. It’s very difficult for them but they would manage on their own, however it would cost them years of effort and a life of misery for the children as it turns out that the floor of the house they bought is powered by industrial electricity and the electricity bill is very large, the last one is 400 BGN.
– How many people responded to your call for voluntary work, actually the renovation of the family’s floor was completed in three days?
– About 50 people in total, mainly people from Smolyan and the region, but also people from Sofia, Bobov dol, Plovdiv. In terms of funds, the expenses were around BGN 10-12 thousand, the collected donations are much less, I will still make reports. If the family had only to finish the renovation with the increase in the price of building materials every month, it would have cost them many times more. The renovation would have taken much longer, because how many families could afford to hire 50 workers altogether? And the parents do not have the physical time to do this repair.
– What is the reaction from the family after the campaign?
– They are very happy, but initially they were very worried. After the campaign was announced, 90% of people commenting on social networks and where they live said: Well done! One or two have said to them: How can you stoop so low – to turn to Leo Cadelli. I challenge those who talk like that to go help the family fix their yard now.
– The statements about you are very polarized, what is the reason for this?
– Against me there are people who are against my personality and organization. It upsets them that I refused to help them. Partly because they are lazy wretches who wait for others to do for them what they can do themselves. Another part are such people who join the campaigns looking for some personal dividends. I chase both types, I literally chase them, because they are not suitable for themselves. When they come across a character like mine, they don’t feel comfortable, but want to be active on social networks, and not being able to be helpful, they use their malice.
– How many people join your campaigns and what cases do you take on?
– Thousands actively participate, our followers are about 100,000. There are tens of thousands who are active. For example, volunteers from Smolyan who have been following me for three years, watching everything and waiting to get involved in a suitable cause, when the campaign started in Smolyan – got involved. We cannot collect funds for medical cases, we mainly help with food, wood, bills, repairs.
– Are there more people turning to you for help and if yes, why do you think?
– There are more people for two reasons. First, because we are becoming more famous with time and because of the economic situation, as it is not the best at the moment. A young, healthy person has no excuse for not looking for a way to save himself in times of trouble. But there are young people like this family from Smolyan who are doing their best to make it on their own, but they just need a shoulder to carry them forward. They are a living example of young people who rely on themselves, are responsible, hardworking and teach their children that. Many pensioners are in a difficult situation. And right now I’m helping a grandmother go to the hospital for an examination. Sometimes a person just needs a shoulder to believe in themselves again and move forward, regardless of age.
– What would you say to those wishing to donate to campaigns?
– I have an appeal to them – when they decide to help, to inform themselves in detail about the cause, about the people, regardless of who is the initiator.
