ASSOCIATION OF THE ROMA "CHERENJA" - STIP

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Roma Association "Cherenja"-Stip Roma Association "Cerenja"-Stip, R.Macedonia is a voluntary, non-government, non-political and independent organization of the citizens where its members could implement their common social, economic, humanity and cultural interest. Roma Association "Cerenja"-Stip, is formed on 11.05.1995 and is one of the first non-government Roma association, formed not only in Stip, but also in entire east Macedonia. There are 1200 members of the association and 20 of them are active members that are involved into its work. The common aim of the Association is to make conditions of organized performance of permanent and intensive social activity of the Roma people as well as to follow, to research and to initiate questions that request the solutions of the society. They are also directly connected to advance of the society and economic position of the Roma people. Common aims and tasks of the Association: - cultural development of the Roma people; - bringing up the historical and cultural traditions of the Roma; - educational and cultural emancipation of the Romas; - bringing up the ecology knowledge among the people; - pre-school education of Roma children; - health education; - bringing up the Roma language; - advancing of the human rights; - advancing of the women and children`s human rights. All activities of Association of the Roma "Cerenja" are directed to the previously mention goals. Until now it has realized many different fields. There are following projects: CHILDREN AND YOUTH - Special class has been formed of 33 children from 8-12 age who are not involved in the educaional process financed by Ministry of education; - Didactical materials are distributed for 150 Roma pupils by Macedonian Center of International Cooperation (MCIC); - Student books for 150 pupils are distributed by Caritas Germany; - School equipment for 400 Roma pupils is distributed by Open Society Institute (OSI); - 60 Roma children have been visiting the kindergarten without charging through the program "Step by step" from OSI; - Educational center has been formed by OSI-Budapest; - "Early child development" has been financed by UNICEF; - Education for illiterate children financed by Caritas Germany; - English course for high school Roma students has been financed by Macedonian Center for International Cooperation (MCIC); - Basic computer course for high school Roma students, financed by MCIC; - Summer tournament in football. WOMEN PROGRAM - Education for illiterate women financed by Caritas Germany; - It have been organized three seminars in Vinica, Strumica and Bitola on theme: "The use of the modern contraceptive means, prerequisite for prevention of unwilling pregnancy and deseases of Roma people" financed by PHARELIEN Program; - 6 tribunes in East Macedonia were organized for familu planning, financed by MCIC. These tribunes were held in following towns: Stip, Strumica, Delcevo, Radovis, Kocani and Vinica. COOPERATION WITH OTHER NGO`S There were organized few tribunes in cooperation with some Roma`s NGO`s: - hunam rights; - underage marriages; - vices of 21 century; - stop whispering ect. ECOLOGY - It have been realized ecological action for bringing up the ecology knowledge among the people, under the slogan "For cleaner town", in which have been involved more than 200 members of the Association. In this action has been cleaned the settlement "Senjak and Avtokomanda" and have been cleaned 30 tones trash and more crashed cars. HUMAN RIGHTS - One of the activities of our Association is protecting the human rights. We have felt that we are discriminated that our basic human rights are broken and the occurrence of brutal relationship by the police officers, we tell our disagreement through the printing press and electronic media, but more often through the radio "Cerenja". - It was organized peaceful strike on the streets of Stip for better life standard of Roma population, by Association of Romas "Cerenja". There were more than 1700 persons (men, women and children). HUMANITARIAN AID - It has been distributed humanitarian aid of 3000m heating wood for 600 Roma and 600 Macedonian families with low in-come by Caritas Germany; - Shoes for 400 persons have been distributed 26 tones humanitarian aid contained of torn clothes, sleeping bags, rise and washing powder by Red Half-moon; - In program for help, our Association has regularly introduced action for blood donors. There are about 75 active volunteer who gives their blood from human reasons; - In period of refugee crises, like emergency aid for refugees who were accommodated in Roma families has been provided food and clothes, and for the refugees who were accommondated in collective center in Probistip has been provided blankets. All humanitarian aid has been donated by Evangelishe Kirshegenainde Duzeldorf-Unterrath, Herrn Tobias Mundeman, Koln-Boclemund and Evangelishe Kirchengemeinde Koln-Bickendorf. FURTHER PLANED ACTIVITIES - The plan activities are also directed to the program of the Association and they include some actual problems of Roma population; - Balkan conference for position od the Roma woman; - Education for the values; - Daily center for handicapped Roma children; - Human relationship between the sexes; - Prevention from drugs, alcohol and tobacco; - Educational center; - European conference for promoting the culture of the Romas; - Promoting for women`s rights; - Workshops for parents and children on the field of education; - Descrease of the underage marriages; - Let`s help women, victim of violence; - Anti-discrimination; - National women`s parliament.