edu4all

North Macedonia

#Edu4All

proving computers and other essential IT equipment to the new and modern Shuto Orizari Center for daily support for at-risk children

The Shuto Orizari Roma municipality in North Macedonia is one of the largest in the country and in Europe, and home to a substantial amount of the poorest families who have been drastically impacted by the difficulties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, setting back the lives and previous progress made of countless families.

 

UNDP has previously responded in this area after the only kindergarten in Shuto Orizari Municipality burned down in 2017 by rebuilding it with the help of the Kingdom of Norway. The kindergarten provided care and educational activities for approximately 100 at risk-children between the ages of 5 and 13. Now the children were once again facing a difficulty as a consequence of COVID-19. During the pandemic, the North Macedonian government established a remote learning process forcing the children back onto the streets without access to the necessary equipment or resources to pursue their education.

The crowdfunding campaign #Edu4All initiated by UNDP, sought to narrow this technological gap by proving computers and other essential IT equipment to the new and modern Shuto Orizari Center for daily support for at-risk children. In doing so, this campaign directly provided the educational needs to at-risk children and supplied them with new digital skills.

The campaign was launched on Classy on 16 June 2021 through a high-profile event with the announcement of the opening of the new Center for daily support for at-risk children. The event was hosted by the Mayor of Shuto Orizari Municipality with the participation of the Prime Minister and the Minister of labor and social policy. With a goal to mobilize $15000, the campaign was completed on 15 December 2021 having raised US$2,819. Nonetheless, the initial donor for the reconstruction of the kindergarten provided additional funds for the operationalization of the center to allow daily support for the children. Therefore, with the funds collected, this campaign supported the procurement of 9 computers for the center, while the rest will be applied to purchase other small IT appliances.

Children playing in the newly reconstructed kindergarden playground

100

at risk-children

between the ages of 5 and 13

2,819

US$ crowdfunded

between the ages of 5 and 13

9

computers purchased

between the ages of 5 and 13