ANALYSIS
build a handicap accessible ramp so that one
disabled person could get in and out of his
home with greater ease.
• In Ohrid, another group of local heroes spent
three months teaching a young Roma friend
of theirs to read and write. Thanks to their effort, the girl managed to enroll in the third
grade after living a nomadic life up to that
point with her parents!
“And to think that all of this is made possible by the
diligent work of our young people who were just encouraged to do something good,” Ristovski says.
While youth are the focus of the PHV program, the Red
Cross in Macedonia also has a range of other, more
traditional activities that encourage volunteerism
among people of all ages and social statuses. For example, the organization sends volunteer educators to
schools across the country to teach children first aid
techniques. They also maintain a club of blood donors
which sustains itself on the donated time and expertise of volunteer nurses and doctors. Last but certainly
not least, the organization’s core function around the
world is to maintain teams of volunteers who are prepared to serve the public alongside State resources in
response to disaster situations.
“To volunteer means to live a quality life, to give,
to share and to enjoy someone else’s smile. Every
hour spent volunteering is an emotional hour
spent sharing goodness and wishing for change.
Volunteers are a force and an inspiration”, says
Aleksandra Ristovski...
Teamwork
Another activity manned mainly by volunteers is the
Red Cross’ homeless shelter where those in need can
receive food and other help thanks to the generous
donations they receive from companies, individuals
and local authorities.
“We could not make it without the support from donors, other NGOs and the local authorities” says Ristovski.
She says she is particularly inspired to see that
companies are increasing their deliberate demonstrations of social responsibility but also that their
Emerging Macedonia Spring 2014 Issue 41
employees are getting more engaged as volunteers.
In one recent example, employees of an insurance
company continued donating their time and effort
to an orphanage in Skopje, well after their employer
offered more formal support to the institution.
Red Cross’ program for the elderly is another highlight that Ristovski mentions with pride, especially because they have managed to turn some of the
program’s beneficiaries into active volunteers. Their
three day centers in Skopje provide a much-needed
social and personal development hub for thousands
of elderly people in the country’s capital. A great example of their function is the drawing lessons offered
by a volunteer that eventually led to an amateur
art sale, the proceeds from which were donated to
charity.
“These centers have proven very successful and we
have recently been granted additional funds to open
a few more in other towns, as well. We hope for more
donations to be able to continuously expand our outreach to this group in need,” says RIstovski.
The Red Cross mobile teams serving the elderly have
also become a lifeline for those who are unable to run
errands and perform everyday chores. The teams do
everything from deliver groceries and medication to
simply brighten someone’s day with a friendly social
call.
Defining Volunteerism
As the biggest volunteer organization in the country,
the Red Cross in Macedonia continuously advocates
for policies that would encourage, not discourage,
volunteerism. This means first making a clear distinction in Macedonian legislation between real volunteerism (i.e., where nothing is expected in return)
and internships (job training without pay). The organization says that the two are often confused by authorities, complicating the organization’s work.
For example, the country’s current Law on Volunteering requires all volunteers carry personalized identification cards. In a country with traditionally high
unemployment, this requirement is likely aimed at
preventing organizations from taking advantage of
people hoping to obtain employment through volunteering long term. Given that the mission and function of organizations like the Red Cross are clear,
such measures seem aimed at solving a problem that
doesn’t exist.
13