Eugenia Kisimova () (1831–1885) was a Bulgarian

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

and

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...

activist. She was the founder and president of the Bulgarian women's movement organisation ''Женска община'' (1869). She worked for the establishment of girl's schools and the right for equal education opportunities for females.

Life

Eugenia Kisimova was born in Turnovo as the daughter of the wealthy merchant Hadji Georgi Kisimov. She was the sister of the educator and cultural personality Pandeli Kisimov, and through her sister Maria the sister-in-law of the doctor and archaeologist

Vasil Beron Vasil ( Bulgarian and Macedonian: Васил, Georgian: ვასილ) is a Bulgarian, Macedonian and Georgian masculine given name. It may refer to: * Vasil Adzhalarski, Bulgarian revolutionary, an IMARO leader of revolutionary bands * Vasil A ...

. She was educated in a school for girls. As an adult in the 1850s, Kisimova wished for women to participate in society outside of a secluded life in the home. Born into a leading family in Turnovo, she established contacts with noted figures in the cultural and intellectual life, such as Vasil Cholakov, Petko Gorbanov,

Petko Slavejkov Petko Rachov Slaveykov () (17 November 1827 OS – 1 July 1895 OS ) was a Bulgarian poet, publicist, politician and folklorist. Biography Early years and educational activity Slaveykov was born in Tarnovo to the family of the coppersmith Ra ...

, Zachary Princely and Stoyan Robovski. In 1869, she founded the first women's organisation in Bulgaria, the ''Женска община'', and was elected as its first president. The purpose was to provide education for women, and its first action was to raise funds to start schools for girls in the city and the areas around it and employ teachers for them. In 1870, the association also started Sunday schools. The association provided scholarships and made it possible for women to study abroad in countries where higher education was open to women, preferably in Russia and Romania. Several Bulgarian female pioneers had their studies abroad financed by the association, such as Eugenia Shekerdzhieva, who was financed to study in Russia in 1876 and 1879. During the

Russian-Turkish War (1877-1878) The Russo-Turkish wars ( ), or the Russo-Ottoman wars (), began in 1568 and continued intermittently until 1918. They consisted of twelve conflicts in total, making them one of the longest series of wars in the history of Europe. All but four of ...

, Kismova organised the ''Милосърдие'', a fund raising to organize and finance nurses to medical care for the wounded, as well as receive and care for war refugees.

Notes

References

* "Девическото образование в Търново", 1936, с.28 * Кулелиев, Йордан, "Словото на Евгения Кисимова", в. Право, №31, 27 септември 1869 * Речта на Евгения Кисимова, в. Македония, №52, 8 ноември 1869 * Драганова, Т. Известия на ОИМ - В. Търново, кн.3/1996, стр. 85 * Иван Радев, "Историята на Велико Търново XVIII - XIX век", "Слово", В.Т., 2000, стр. 644-647 1831 births 1885 deaths Bulgarian women's rights activists Bulgarian feminists People from Veliko Tarnovo Bulgarian philanthropists Bulgarian women philanthropists 19th-century philanthropists People from the Ottoman Empire {{Bulgaria-bio-stub