The Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Mr. Dime Spasov, the Mayor of City of Skopje, Mr. Koce Trajanovski and the President of the Republic Center – PORAKA, Mr. Cedomir Trajkovski, on 10 June 2015, officially opened the second Day center of the Republic Center – PORAKA in Skopje for persons with intellectual disability over 18 years of age.
In presence of large number of members, friends, supporters of the Republic Center for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA, on 10 June 2015 the Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Mr. Dime Spasov, the Mayor of City of Skopje, Mr. Koce Trajanovski and the President of the Republic Center – PORAKA, Mr. Cedomir Trajkovski, officially opened the new day center for persons with intellectual disability in Skopje. The new day center is located in Kapishtec (between the Employment Agency and the Center for Orthotics and Prosthetics “Slavej”).
The day center is a result of the initiative made by the Republic Center for Support of persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA, which has been realized in partnership between the Republic center – PORAKA, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and City of Skopje.
The Minister informed that they have helped with providing the facilities and their renovation.
-This project has been realized in cooperation with City of Skopje and the Republic Center – PORAKA, which is a national organization that represents the interests of persons with intellectual disability. The Ministry helped provide the facilities and their complete renovation. This day center shall be tremendous support to the parents of these persons, excellent type of non-institutional support and care. Their day will be filled with meaningful contents and programme that will assist them in improving their everyday living skills – stated Mr.Spasov.
As a Ministry, this year we will have many different activities for opening new day centers for children with disabilities in Macedonia. In the following period we expect to open day centers for children in Bitola, Veles, Stip, Kocani, Valandovo, Lipkovo and Ohrid. We will continue with numerous activities to increase, improve and enlarge the network of day centers for children and adults with disabilities, with more financial support to parents, as well as expanding the contents for work in the day centers network – announced the Minister.
The Mayor of City of Skopje explained that this is the second day center for persons with intellectual disability over 18 years of age in Skopje. According to him, persons will have opportunities for individual and group activities, and possibilities for working with the parents as well. Moreover, the Mayor Trajanovski said that this type of day centers offer different possibilities for socialization of persons with intellectual disability. He added that these types of social services have proven to be very successful and produce results. Therefore he considers that it is of utmost importance to open and spread the network this type of social services.
Cedomir Trajkovski, President of the Republic Center for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA, announced that the idea for this center is two and a half years ago, when as he said, jointly recognized that the Day center in Aerodrom does not meet the needs of the city and there is a need for one or more day centers for persons with intellectual disability.
-Finally, we succeeded together with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the City of Skopje, and with the funds gathered by the Makedonski Telekom and T-Mobile Macedonia in total amount of 11.000 EUR, when their employees ran the Skopje Marathon last year. Spreading the social services network represents a priority for the Republic center – PORAKA – stated Mr. Trajkovski.
Vasilka Dimoska MD, Program Manager in the Republic Center for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA explained that the Day center shall implement the continuous and unified working programme of the Republic Center – PORAKA.
-Individual assessment of the potential of each beneficiary shall be carried out, and according to the results and individual working programme shall be tailored. Many different creative workshops will foster the development of the potential of each beneficiary, i.e. their cognitive social and practical skill shall be developed – said Vasilka Dimoska MD.
The equipment of the Day center has been helped by Makedonski Telekom and T-Mobile Macedonia through a donation of 11.000 EUR, provided during the Skopje Marathon 2014. Skopje Wizz Air Marathon was held on 11 May 2014, and twenty employees from Deutsche Telekom companies in Macedonia, Montenegro and Hungary ran with high motivation to finish the race because for every kilometer ran of the marathon runners, the company donated 1.500 MKD for the day center for persons with intellectual disability. The donation from Makedonski Telekom have been strictly used for adaptation, renovation and equipping the new social service.
