Promotion of community philanthropy models

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With purpose to encourage the pioneering efforts of the CSOs as well as the local donors, CIRa through the USAID funded Civil Society Strengthening Project matched 1 denar for each denar donated to the CSOs by the local individuals and companies. More than 300 citizens and enterprises from all over Macedonia donated approximately 2,100,000 denars (around 34 000 EUR) to address different community problems, and in addition 147 citizens gave their support as volunteers. Moreover, almost all of the implemented initiatives received donations from local public institutions.

Donated money, materials goods as well as volunteer efforts were used in achieving the following results:
  • Support in improving health and health services: improved conditions for the patients in the Children’s Hospital Wings (part of the City Hospitals) in Veles and in Stip; a playroom for children with disabilities will be created in Kostozglobna bolnica in Ohrid; 196 students with health problems and from low-income families in Veles provided with free of charge weekend in the Mountaineer Lodge Cheples on Jakupica
  • Support to the education in particular of marginalized groups: thirty four Roma children from Topansko pole enrolled in primary school (20 of them for the first time, 14 drop-out students) and provided with necessary schoolbooks, school materials as well as clothes for them and their families; 26 persons with disabilities aging 5-29 receive continuous training in the Computer centre for people with disabilities in Skopje; schoolyard in the primary school Petar Pop Arsov in Skopje improved (pavement, grass and 100 trees)
  • Empowering youth: over 200 young people covered with the annual programs for active engagement of the young people in Ohrid; 118 young unemployed people received training to increase their employability within the Youth Information Centre in Prilep (1 of them received full employment while 3 were interviewed by potential employers); 3 grants to youth groups in Gostivar provided through the Youth Initiatives Fund.

  • Social protection: Support for the continuous operation of the Day-care Centre for the street children from Karton maalo in Aerodrom Мunicipality
  • Support for the alternative urban culture: 9 cultural events organized in the Cultural Centar Tochka in Skopje.
  • Environmental protection: System of waste separation in 4 primary schools in Strumica developed and separation containers produced by the pupils; environmental improvement of the yard in the Public Home for Children Orphans in Bitola

  

Most of the donors expressed their readiness to provide long-term support to civic organizations’ activities which demonstrates that citizens and enterprises are willing to donate their valuable funds and time when civic organizations if these present  clear idea what they need the money for and provide timely feedback on the results achieved with the help of that donation. Although, at least in the beginning, it is difficult to imagine that philanthropic support could fully substitute other sources of funds, the experience has shown that it can be a source for the realization of entire program initiatives, with visible results in terms of improving the quality of the community. In the long run, ongoing cultivation of local donors can provide the organization with greater flexibility in the management of its resources and decrease its dependency on foreign donors for the implementation of key mission-related activities.
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