STUDENTS IN NORTH MACEDONIA: Think before you throw – keep your neighborhood clean

Led by their created motto “Think before you throw – keep your neighborhood clean”, students from Secondary school “Brakja Miladinovci” from Dracevo – Skopje, showed their youth initiative and activism in practice. Respecting the epidemiologic protocols for protection, they were a part of an ecological action for collecting glass packaging waste. This action was organized in collaboration between their secondary school “Brakja Miladinovci” and Pakomak (eco – enterprise). Their teachers and parents, also,  joined the activity, supported by the project “Start the Change”.

Through digital tools, the students split their responsibilities and formed groups. Then, they handed out around 3,000 flyers for raising awareness about the importance of selecting glass while encouraging the citizens of Dracevo to become a part of the ecological action for collecting glass bottles.

During the action, the students together with Pakomak’s team gathered the glass waste. Containers for collecting glass were placed, as well, and a truck with the students drove through the neighborhood. The action was executed successfully and it was positively accepted by the citizens.

Actions like this one contribute to the increased youth engagement through the manifested student voice in decision-making processes in the local community in which they live and go to school. This way the objectives of the project “Start the Change” are accomplished and the students have an opportunity to contribute to bettering the condition in their schools and the environment. More activities, initiated by the students, in collaboration with their teachers and parents, are planned in the following period.