On June 3, 2022, in Uma village, Municipality of Gevgelija, an event for celebrating the completion of the first community action in Uma village was organized by USAID’s Community Development Program, implemented by the Rural Development Network of North Macedonia, in partnership with Local Action Group (LAG) Bojmija.

The purpose of the event was to promote partnerships between the civil sector, the private sector, and the local government in Uma village, as well as to share the initial results of the Community Development Program.

 

 

During the visit, attendees had the opportunity to see the new garbage containers for disposal and initial selection of waste, the public space at the entrance to Uma which is cleaned by the permanent closure of illegal landfills, as well as the completed construction of part of the main street by laying cobblestones in keeping with the local tradition in the length of 185 meters. In the realization of this local action, several local stakeholders were involved, including the population, the business sector, civil society organizations, and the Municipality of Gevgelija.

 

 

During the event, U.S. Embassy’s Chargé d’affaires Eric Meyer, addressed the present, “You brought your skills and resources together around a collective vision to make your community cleaner and more functional—and most importantly, you took action. I am encouraged and inspired by your efforts. The U.S. Embassy is proud to partner with you—and communities like yours—that take the initiative and address the needs of local citizens through home-grown solutions and resources.”

 

 

The mayor of Gevgelija, Andon Saramandov, also gave remarks, emphasizing that it is important for local actors to lead the development of the community and pointed out that the municipality will continue to support communities and rural areas and actively cooperate with other local actors.

Petar Gjorgievski, President of the Rural Development Network of North Macedonia and Chief of Party of the Community Development Program, together with Risto Atanasovski, of LAG Bojmija, referred to the achievements of the Program so far and the established new partnerships between local actors to promote sustainable development in rural areas and provide a better life for the population.

 

 

Among those present at the event were mayors of municipalities in the region as well as representatives of local government, civil society, and the private sector in the municipality of Gevgelija.

The USAID Community Development Program promotes sustainable rural development in North Macedonia through increased involvement of local stakeholders in recognizing and prioritizing the true needs of the community – relying on their resources and increased public, private, and civil society sector engagement in joint socio-economic and environmental initiatives.

 

 

 

 

This activity is part of the Community Development Program, supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

This article is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of the Rural Development Network of North Macedonia and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) or the United States Government.