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As part of our activities to strengthen local capacities for sustainable waste management, we successfully implemented a three-day composting training with employees of the Public Utility Company Dolneni. The workshops were held on 03.04.2025, 15.04.2025 and 06.05.2025 in the village of Ropotovo, which resulted in the establishment of a system for the collection and processing…
In one of our target communities, something powerful has been quietly taking root. What began as a few women gathering after a legal advice session has grown into a self-organized, peer-led Roma Women’s Leadership Circle.
This inspiring group of women now meets regularly to share experiences, learn about their rights, and support one another in facing daily challenges related to education, child protection, early marriage, and gender-based violence. Most importantly, they are beginning to speak with confidence for themselves, their daughters, and their community.
“Before, I was ashamed to speak, even when things were wrong. Now I know what my rights are, and I’m not afraid to ask for help or to help another woman.”– Member of the Roma Women’s Leadership Circle
What made this possible?
✅ Trust built over time through our paralegals, health promoters, and gender promoters✅ A safe space for legal knowledge, storytelling, and psychosocial support✅ A belief that every woman holds the potential to be a voice for change
Already, members of the Circle are taking on informal leadership roles referring neighbors to our services, advocating for girls’ schooling, and even helping de-escalate domestic situations by guiding families to support resources.
While this initiative wasn’t part of our original plans, it has become a cornerstone of community strength, a grassroots space where healing, learning, and transformation come together. For our team, it’s a reminder that lasting change often starts with listening, presence, and trust.
We’re proud to stand beside these women and we look forward to expanding this model in more communities.
On 07.04.2025, as part of the World Good Deeds Day 2025, a Volunteer Environmental Action was held in the area of Prilep Lake in Prilep.
The activity was implemented with the support of 20 volunteer students from the Primary School “Dobre Jovanoski” and high school students from the youth clubs of the Association LET Station, who jointly cleaned the area around Prilep Lake and collected solid waste, showing that the spirit of volunteerism is still among us, but it needs to be nurtured and emphasized, so that we would live in a better and more harmonious community.
Good Deeds Day is an international day of volunteering. Starting in 2007, its mission is to unite people from all over the world in doing good deeds for others and for the planet. The goal of the event is for young people to learn about volunteering and to be involved in volunteer activities for the good of the entire community.
Our Association, last year for the first time joined the global movement “Day of Good Deeds”, which is the International Day of Volunteering. This year, the Day of Good Deeds is April 6th, and various events and workshops will be organized at the state level, organized by the Youth Cultural Center Bitola.
#gooddeedsday
#деннадобридела
#mkcbitola
@MkcBitola
@Gooddeddsday
Since February 2025, our team has been actively working with the residents of the village of Ropotovo, as part of the initiative to improve energy efficiency and sustainable living. In addition to the advisory sessions at the premises of the Municipality of Dolneni, together with the local population, we conducted individual assessments of the energy efficiency of their homes and business buildings. The assessments were carried out using a specially developed questionnaire, which allowed for a precise analysis of the current situation.
As a result of this fieldwork, we developed and assigned 4 individual energy efficiency plans for households in the community. These plans contain specific recommendations for improving insulation, reducing energy losses and optimal use of renewable sources, in order to reduce costs and improve the quality of life.
👉 “With this plan, we finally know what we can improve and how to save. We got ideas that we never thought could make such a difference to our bills and heat at home.” — says one of the residents of Ropotovo, a participant in the initiative.The activities will continue in the coming period, with the expansion of assessments and the development of plans for other households in the village. With this, the Green Resource Hub continues to be a partner of communities for a more sustainable, more economical and healthier environment.
The activity is part of the project: “Smart Green Village for a Sustainable Future”, which is implemented with the support of the Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans.
Violence against women cannot be eradicated as long as there is an unequal distribution of power and unequal opportunities for all.
On 24th of February, our Association held a roundtable discussion on the importance of gender equality in preventing violence against women and girls. During the discussion, which was organized by the National network to end violence against women and domestic violence in cooperation with LET Station, were discussed women’s labor rights, rural women and their right to maternity leave, and women’s poverty.
Ana Avramoska Nushkova from the National network to end violence against women and domestic violence spoke about how to organize specialized services for women victims of gender-based violence, and Vesna Shapkoski from LET Station spoke about health care for women from rural areas, highlighting the rights to maternity leave, the rights of women farmers, and limited access to various services.
In December 2024, three thematic lectures on the topic “Prevention for Better Health” were successfully held, as part of the project “Her Voice – Her Power: Empowering Marginalized Women and Girls in Pelagonija”, in order to raise awareness among the local population about the importance of health prevention and the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits.
The lectures were aimed at various aspects of health, including the prevention of chronic diseases, the importance of healthy nutrition and physical activity, as well as the importance of mental health. The lectures were held directly in the communities in the municipalities of Prilep, Krivogaštani and Dolneni. At least 90 citizens of different ages and social groups were covered by the activities aimed at educating the local population about preventive measures that can contribute to improving health, promoting healthy lifestyle habits that include proper nutrition, regular physical activity and stress management.
The lecture focused on the prevention of the most common chronic diseases. The attendees were informed about the importance of regular health check-ups (screening), as well as the proper management of risk factors such as smoking and unhealthy diet. The importance of proper nutrition and regular physical activity for disease prevention was emphasized. The basics of healthy nutrition were explained, as well as the importance of physical activity for maintaining health. Particular attention was paid to mental health and stress management techniques.
Due to the increasing attention to health topics, the lecture was extremely well received by the participants. The participants showed active interest in preventive measures and requested additional information on healthy habits.
The lectures on health prevention conducted in December were successfully implemented and showed a high level of engagement by the local population. These activities not only increased awareness of the importance of health prevention, but also motivated the participants to take concrete steps to improve their health.
“Her Voice – Her Power: Empowering Marginalized Women and Girls in Pelagonija” is a project of the Center for Civic Initiative – Prilep, implemented in partnership with the Association for Legal Education and Transparency LET Station from Prilep and the Multiethnic Association for All Ages from the village of Crnilishte, Dolneni. The project is supported by the Government of Switzerland through Civica Mobilitas.
On 24.01.2025, officially began operating the Green Resource Hub located in the building of the Municipality of Dolneni (village of Ropotovo)!
The goal of the hub is to serve as a central resource for educating and informing the community about sustainable agriculture, energy efficient practices and the use of renewable energy sources.
The hub will be active two days a week, one day for counseling and information and one day for field visits.
With this opening, a series of subsequent activities were announced that will be implemented in cooperation with the Municipality of Dolneni aimed at waste processing, production of organic fertilizer, but also an analysis of the potential of Ropotovo and the surrounding area for setting up capacities for the production of energy from renewable sources.
The work of the hub is supported by the Municipality of Dolneni and Mayor Urim Ibeski, who lent the premises to the Municipal Council free of charge for the needs of the activity.
*The activity is part of the project “Smart Green Village for a Sustainable Future” which is implemented with the support of the Open Society Foundations Western Balkans.
During the month of December 2024, we conducted a series of activities in the municipalities of Prilep and Dolneni to address and respond to ethnic and religious hate speech that exists in online communication between young people/students from primary and secondary schools.
In this regard, three workshops were organized in two primary and one secondary school in the municipalities of Prilep and Dolneni, where students of different ethnic and religious backgrounds had the opportunity to learn and interactively engage in discussions on the topics of interreligious and interethnic diversity, critical thinking and media literacy as powerful tools for opposing hate speech both online and offline.
The workshops were held in the period from 23rd-25th of December 2024 and included students aged 12-18 in the three schools. The content and implementation were delivered by an externally engaged expert, Monika Taleska, in cooperation with the school staff.
The lectures took place in the following order:
1. Lecture at the Primary School “Ismail Qamili” – village Crnilishte, municipality of Dolneni.
Date: 23rd of December 2024
Topics covered by the lecture:
– Research on media literacy: understanding how the media shape opinions and attitudes.
– The psychology behind hate speech and its impact on individuals and communities.
– Practical exercises: Evaluating media content for bias and misinformation.
2. Lecture at the Primary School “Dobre Jovanoski”, Prilep
Date: 24th of December 2024
Topics covered by the lecture:
– Introduction to hate speech: definition, examples and legal implications.
– The role of the media in the spread and fight against hate speech.
– Interactive session: Identifying hate speech with online and offline scenarios.
– Tips for critical thinking and evaluating information sources.
3. Lecture at SOEPTU “Kuzman Josifoski Pitu” Municipality of Prilep
Date: 25th of December 2024
Topics covered by the lecture:
– Intersection of hate speech and freedom of expression.
– Case studies: Real-life examples of the consequences of hate speech.
– Media literacy skills: Recognizing fake news and combating disinformation.
– Group discussion: How can young people contribute to a more respectful online environment?
Next, on 27th of December 2024, was organized a New Year’s networking event at the office of the Association LET Station in Prilep.
The timing of the event was deliberately chosen to capitalize on the spirit of renewal and shared optimism for the future, creating a significant platform to address the critical issue of hate speech in schools, particularly on ethnic and religious grounds.
The event was attended by around 30 people, including: youth representatives (students from primary and secondary schools in Prilep and Dolneni), school staff and educators who previously played a key role in organizing workshops aimed at fostering tolerance and understanding, and representatives from various religious institutions, ensuring the inclusion of different perspectives and promoting interfaith dialogue.
The event began with a warm welcome by the organizers, who highlighted the importance of the initiative in light of the growing concern about hate speech and its harmful impact on youth and community cohesion. Participants shared personal stories, insights and examples of the challenges they face in dealing with hate speech. These stories fostered empathy and understanding among those present, who highlighted practical approaches that have proven successful in different contexts.
Also, was prepared a “New Year’s Resolution for Zero Hate Speech” making efforts for a collective commitment to promote zero tolerance for hate speech in schools and communities whose representatives participated in the event. This moment served as a powerful visual representation of unity and shared responsibility in addressing hate speech.
Schools were encouraged to display the resolution prominently as a reminder of their commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive environment and to engage students, parents, and community members in discussions about hate speech and its consequences.
The New Year’s networking event marked a significant step towards building a culture of respect, tolerance, and inclusion in the municipalities of Prilep and Dolneni. By engaging diverse stakeholders and emphasizing collective action, the event laid the foundation for ongoing efforts to combat hate speech and create a positive environment where every student can thrive.
The activity is part of the Encouraging Collective Action for Religious Freedom in the Western Balkans project, which is being implemented in collaboration with NDI North Macedonia.
Through education and resources, we create sustainable models of community organizing to advance gender equality in the region.
As part of the project “Her Voice – Her Power: Empowering Marginalized Women and Girls in Pelagonija”, a Gender Equality School was successfully implemented in December. The Gender Equality School was attended by 20 people from the Pelagonija region, who were selected in order to be trained and educated on topics related to gender equality, the rights of women and girls, and ways to actively participate in their empowerment.
The goal of the school was to create a network of gender promoters who will continue to work on the implementation of the project in their communities and who will contribute to raising awareness about gender equality and the importance of empowering women and girls in Pelagonija.
The school was conducted through interactive workshops, lectures, group discussions, and case studies. The program covered the topics of gender equality basics through which the participants learned about basic theoretical concepts, such as gender, sex, gender role and gender stereotypes. The students learned how to distinguish gender discrimination from other types of inequalities, the specific challenges that women and girls face in Pelagonija, such as limited employment opportunities, lack of educational resources, as well as socio-cultural barriers. The participants learned how to organize and influence their communities through campaigns, public speeches and initiatives to change attitudes and legislation regarding gender equality. They acquired skills to identify and solve women’s problems in their local communities.
The implementation of the School for Gender Equality represents a significant step towards the empowerment of women and girls in Pelagonia, as well as their active involvement in the process of changing awareness and attitudes in their communities. With this school, the project not only provides necessary education and resources for participants, but also creates lasting impacts by forming a network of gender equality promoters who will continue to work to advance gender equality in the region.
“Her Voice – Her Power: Empowering Marginalized Women and Girls in Pelagonija” is a project implemented by the Civic Initiative Center – Prilep in partnership with the Association for Legal Education and Transparency LET Station from Prilep and the Multiethnic Association for All Ages from the village of Crnilishte, Dolneni. The project is supported by the Government of Switzerland through the Civica Mobilitas program.
On 29th of November 2024, was held a regional event on the topic “Conditional release, electronic supervision and treatment in the function of successful resocialization and reintegration of convicted persons”, organized by the Macedonian Young Lawyers Association and LET Station in Prilep. During the event were discussed the current situation with the application of the…
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