Unlike typical donation drives organized by associations themselves, two friends recently approached the National Network to End Violence against Women and Domestic Violence with a unique proposal: to host a charity bazaar featuring jewelry and donate the proceeds to the Network. Collaborating with LK Svetlina in Skopje, these two friends sought to breathe new life into their old jewelry while bringing joy to women and children who are victims of violence with New Year’s gifts.
On December 14, 2023, the New Year’s bazaar for used jewelry and other gifts unfolded with festive spirits and resounding success. Elena Dimushevska, the executive director of the Network, expressed gratitude, stating, “The National Network has never been part of such an initiative before. While we’ve received individual donations for the Women’s Intervention Fund, this marks our first participation in a donation event organized by individuals, in this case, two beautiful women. Such events are crucial for raising public awareness about this issue and providing necessary aid and support to victims.”
Thanks to the generosity of the two friends and all the bazaar visitors, funds were collected to support various groups. In agreement with the compassionate women who organized the bazaar, the National Network decided to allocate products from two small women-led businesses to the users of the Women’s Support Center – Skopje:
- Planter for herbs: sourced from MaMaOrgana, a business founded by a woman who triumphed over domestic violence, transforming her ordeal into an inspiring journey.
- Natural, handmade cosmetics: a selection from BLOOM, a business established by women who dedicate their December earnings to supporting children from socially disadvantaged families.
In doing so, the funds were utilized to support multiple groups simultaneously—women entrepreneurs, women who have survived violence, and children from socially disadvantaged families.
But we didn’t forget the children of our beneficiaries either! The TINEX supermarket responded to our call for donations by generously providing Christmas gifts—packages of sweets and chocolates—in sufficient quantities to ensure no child from our Women’s Support Centers in Skopje and Bitola was left without a gift. The joyful reception of these gifts underscored the gesture of understanding and support, brightening the holidays for those we serve.
