The support for education is most often discussed before school starts, but this topic is still supported throughout the year.
Our research on philanthropic donations in Serbia in 2021 shows that 10.4% of all donations were allocated to education, while in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this area was supported with 17.7% in Kosovo with 1% of the total donated sum.
Our preliminary data show that for educational purposes in 2021, most donations were made in Montenegro, where education was supported by 55.6% of donations. In Albania, 48.1% of all donations were made for education.
The data collected so far for Croatia show that 9.4% of the total amount donated was allocated to support education last year, while in Northern Macedonia, this figure is 15.1%.
The jury of the VIRTUS Award also recognized the importance of supporting education.
This year's winner of the VIRTUS Award for young philanthropists in Serbia is Miloš Pešić, founder of Foundation 1%. The foundation focuses on education and works every day to support young talents. Foundation 1% supported more than 180 young scientists, researchers, and artists.
To find out in more detail who donates, how much and in what way for education in the Western Balkans, register in our Giving Balkans app, and in our today's weekly review of philanthropy news, find out what some of the current actions in support of this topic looked like.
Donation of Addiko Bank Sarajevo
Addiko Bank Sarajevo joined the initiative of UG "1. Maj Hrvati" from Lukavac for the renovation and improvement of the building used by the regional primary school to provide better conditions for teaching activities of students attending this school. The Bank provided cabinets, shelves, tables, and additional furniture for the two rooms within this facility. Within this donation, a part of the necessary school textbooks was procured for the library, which will be opened at the end of the school year.
Easter fair to equip the school gallery
At the initiative of the Student Parliament, the Elementary School "Petefi Sandor" Becej organized an Easter fair in which students exhibited products that they designed and made themselves.
At the stands in front of this school in Becej, you could find various decorative items, muffins, greeting cards, flowers, and other handicrafts that the students who attend this school made themselves.
The funds raised from the sale of school handicrafts will equip the school gallery and the art classroom.
The high school in Indjija got a smart bench
OTP Bank Serbia donated a smart bench to Gymnasium "Indjija," a technological solution of the domestic company Strawberry. It provides access to educational content, free charging of mobile devices, and simultaneously collects data on carbon dioxide, noise, humidity, temperature, and air pressure.
We are thrilled that the young generations will be able to learn about environmental protection practically with the help of this innovative solution. We are glad that with this donation, we are contributing not only to the digitalization of Indjija but also to raising awareness of environmental sustainability and the importance of using renewable energy sources, which the Bank itself uses, said Tanja Boskovic, director of OTP Bank for the region of Vojvodina.
The smart bench works on solar energy and has a platform with lessons, knowledge tests, educational games, and other interesting things.
Students can get information about current events and classes on the informative page accessed when connecting to the Internet.
Eurobank Direktna equipped the office of the School of Economics and Trade in Bor with computer equipment
Eurobank Direktna realized a new donation within the independent socially responsible project "School as designed for you" at the School of Economics and Trade in Bor. Thanks to the funds collected within the action "Eurobank Direktna Big Heart," computer equipment worth more than 500,000 dinars was provided.
In this way, the cabinet will get a new purpose. With the purchase of software packages, these computers will be used for economic business and accounting with financial technicians and agency and hotel business with tourist hotel technicians.
During the four years of the socially responsible project of Eurobank Direktna "School as designed for you," nine computer rooms were equipped in seven cities in Serbia, and more than 8.2 million dinars were allocated.
Humanitarian dinner "Bokeška kužina" to help schools
Rotary club Kotor has recently organized a charity dinner at the Cattaro Hotel called Bokeška Kužina by Vlasta Mandić.
Long-time Rotarian Vlasta Mandić, in cooperation with the chef of the Cattaro Hotel, Nikola Milenkovic, and his team, prepared traditional dishes from Boka.
With the help of funds raised at the charity dinner, sponsorships, and funds of the Rotary Club Kotor, a donation of 1,000 euros to the elementary school "Njegos" in Kotor was provided as a help to repair the roof, while 600 euros were collected for elementary schools "Nikola Djurkovic" in Radanović for the needs of the rehabilitation of the classroom and "Ilija Kišić" in Zelenica for the adaptation of the space for living and working of children who attend classes in integrated classes to create a more pleasant and motivating space.
Donation for the school "Bogdan Kotlica"
Through the Montenegrin Red Cross, Larry Draper, and Deborah Draper, representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Last-day Saints, donated to the Bogdan Kotlica School in Boana, Savnik desktop computers, printers, projectors, and other electronic equipment worth over 3,000 euros.
Donations for the students of the elementary school "Đorče Petrov"
The Dr. Verica Mehandžiska Foundation and the Zegin company supported realizing the sensory room, an activity that is being realized within the project "Be IN, be inclusive, be included."
Thanks to this donation, students with and without educational difficulties at the Elementary School "Đorče Petrov" in the municipality of Đorče Petrov will be able to work in a sensory room equipped with props and stimulant aids, with the support of the professional service, special educators and rehabilitators.
The sensory room is part of the project "Be IN, be inclusive, be included," funded by the European Union and implemented by the Foundation for Educational and Cultural Initiatives "Step by Step" together with partners - the Association for the Promotion of Inclusive Society "Inclusive" and the Association for service for persons with disabilities "Hendimak." The project is being implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science and aims to improve educational opportunities for children with disabilities.
The action of donations to schools in Struga
"Masterbet DOOEL Skopje" recently started a campaign of donations to schools in Struga. In the first phase, teaching aids were donated to six primary schools.
The donation consisted of sports equipment and teaching aids and was given to the schools "Orhan Xhemaili," "Goce Delcev," "Zini Hani," "St. Kliment Ohridski," "Ashim Agushi," and "Josip Broz Tito."
The company announced that the action continues and that the donation of sports equipment and teaching materials will be handed over to other high schools and primary schools, and kindergartens in the municipality of Struga.
VEGA IT in action for high school students
Company Vega IT organizes a socially responsible action called Support Knowledge: Together for High School Students. The goal is to contribute to high school students' quality of teaching and education by donating desktop and laptop computers.
Our goal is for as many companies and individuals as possible to join our 'Support Knowledge' campaign so that together we can donate equipment and help digitize high school teaching processes., organizers say.
Representatives of the company say that they would like high school students to be welcomed in the classrooms on September 1 and that this is the last phase of the project.
After the applications of high schools, a list of priorities was formed based on the citizens' votes. Now, Vega IT invites all companies and individuals to join the action and contribute with their participation so that as many high schools get the necessary equipment for work.
You can read more about the campaign itself at the following link.
All those interested can contribute by donating funds, and all you need to do is apply for this link.
If any of these examples have inspired you to support education, research current campaigns on the platform Donacije.rs and donate to some dedicated to this area.
