Preparation Seminar for POR  

Workshop for the Referent Group members

IFrom 16 to 18 January this year, at the Panorama Hotel in Skopje, the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation organized a preparation seminar for the young Roma people (POR) applied education. The seminar foresaw a workshop for the Referent Group consisting of 15 civic organizations’ members, previously chosen by the MCIC, who had a counseling role in the implementation of the Program.

The aim of this workshop was a mutual understanding about the goals, tasks and the activities envisaged by the Program and preparing the organizations involved for better implementation of POR. The seminar also aimed at bringing closer the Referent Group members and creating a team spirit among them.

“My organization is in charge of implementing the POR at “Gjorgji Sugarev” Primary School in the “Bair” settlement in Bitola, where most of the Roma children from this town go. This seminar was necessary for my organization and me. Now, when the workshop finished I understand better many things about the POR implementation”- said Dijana Gjorgievska, one of the participants from the “Felix” organization in Bitola.

“Many things have been crystallized for me, too. In the beginning when we qualified for the POR implementation, we needed to have some things explained. Now it is much better and much more clearer. The activists from my organization will implement POR at “Vanco Prke” in Delcevo – said Zekir Abdulov from HDZR “Kham” from Delcevo. Fatime Demir from the Association for Roma language and literature “Darhija” from Skopje expressed her satisfaction from the seminar visit: “The first two days we worked on the theoretical part of the program, where certain things were explained to us. We spent the last day doing practical exercises. “Darhija” will realize POR in the Skopje settlement M.A. Cento at Dame Krapcev Primary school, where there are 128 Roma pupils, that is about 13 percent of the school capacity, said Fatime.

Fifteen representatives from the organizations qualified for the realization of POR participated at the seminar: Center for Roma Community Drom – Kumanovo, Center for Educational Support “Dendo Vas” from Skopje, Roma Women Association “Esma” – Skopje, the humanitarian organization “Help for the Handicapped and Poor” from Prilep, the civic association “Equal for All” and the Center for Roma Culture, Communication and Education from Kocani (they are taking part together with one representative), the women association “Romani Asvin”, The Center for Emancipation and Uniting Roma People in Macedonia “Sao Roma”, Center for Rome Counseling and Information “Roma Cintri Union”, three organizations from Stip (participate together with one representative), the Association for Roma language and literature “Darhija” from Skopje, Roma International Center in Macedonia from Skopje, Humanitarian and Voluntary Roma Association “Kham” from Delcevo, Roma Women Organization “Daja” from Kumanovo, Roma Civic Association “Mesecina” from Gostivar, Roma Civic Association “Romani Bah” from Veles, Humanitarian and Voluntary Roma Association “Mesecina”, that is its branch from Kicevo, Humanitarian and Voluntary Roma Association “Mesecina”- branch from Debar and the Association for preventive work with children and their families “Felix” from Bitola.

Nahida Zekirova and Vladimir Lazovski were in charge of program’s presentation and establishement of the future work methodology. Workshops facilitators were Liljana Alceva and Fatmir Bitiki from the MCIC training team.

Daniel Medaroski