The GLOW and YMLP Youth Fund from YMCA Bitola provides opportunities for GLOW and YMLP clubs across the country to implement the skills they have learned in project design and management through grant writing and project implementation to improve their community. In the first grant applications, seven GLOW and YMLP clubs were awarded grants based on their project proposals, written by youth leaders, in the areas of the environment, civic engagement and the arts. These clubs completed their community service projects with materials provided by GLOW and YMLP funds—each project was completed for less than $100. GLOW and YMLP Bitola held an event to raise awareness for their community about the importance of cycling and other clean, environmentally friendly methods of commuting to work and school. Their event, where guests participated in competitions, reflections and games, had over 35 participants learning about air pollution. Iskra, club mentor and GLOW training advisor in training, said: “What I loved about our service project was the dedication and effort of our team dedicated to the subject – air pollution. especially in a time of insatiable apathy. The project attracted a lot of people to see what we have to say and influence them in a positive way, so that they can be satisfied, because our efforts have paid off and we have seen the results we hoped for – self-awareness and awareness of the power for change that people possess.”

GLOW Kriva Palanka gave back to the City Museum, a local community institution where the club made its home. With the materials of the Youth Fund, GLOW Kriva Palanka cleaned the museum spaces and wiped and painted the older benches throughout the property. The seven members of the club devoted a total of 14 hours to this project. The youth leader of Kriva Palanka and alumni of the GLOW camp Adriana said: “What I liked most about our service was that we did something good for our community and for the institution that allowed us to use its halls to realize our amazing meetings. The project make us feel motivated to make more changes in the community, so we can be better!

Ohrid GLOW and YMLP club held an event for the recycling of electronic waste in the high school SOSU St. Cyril and Methodius. With the help of the director and employees of the school and a recycling company from Skopje, NULAOTPAD DOO. the club collected and shipped 28 computer processing units, 5 printers, 2 boxes of disassembled components, 178 keyboards, 4 boxes of miscellaneous cables, 88 computer mice, 7 CPU fan units, 87 wired pointing adapters, 42 CRT monitors, 1 scanner, and 10 flat screen monitors in Skopje for environmentally safe recycling. Their club leader, Philip, who attended the YMLP camp in 2017, said: “What I loved most about our community service project was the fact that we inspired a number of people in our school to volunteer and help us get off the ground right. (recycling) from our broken electronic equipment. After our project, the members felt very fulfilled, liberated and happy, because now we made a lot of free space that was not there from all the broken electronic devices. The help from the school, the students, the recycling team from Skopje and the members they became very proud and happy.

GLOW Debar ran art workshops for youth in their town – the results of those workshops were put up for sale and all profits were donated to the local center for youth with special needs.

GLOW and YMLP Struga held a community recycling event, where community members learned about the importance of recycling through games and contests, including the what-can-be-recycled-from-a-bottle contest, with winners receiving reusable bottles that can to use them to reduce dependence on plastic bottles. Martin from Struga said: “What I liked about the community service project was the coordination of GLOW and YMLP and the goal of it – to make a greener environment. After it was done, the members felt useful and productive. They also felt proud of the large amounts of plastic collected”. GLOW and YMLP Tetovo held an event “Ancient Olympics”, promoting health for all children regardless of ability / disability in their community. They had fun encouraging local youth to get outside and exercise through play. All the money raised through their event was donated to the local center for people with special needs, who were also invited to participate in their event for free. “What I liked most about our project was the organization and dedication of our team members during the project and organization.

With the exception of the efforts made by the club mentors and leaders, we are also very grateful for our generous and active participants of the GLOW club in Tetovo. Without them, our project wouldn’t have been possible, and ultimately, the fact that we created an event to raise awareness for underprivileged children and make our society a better place for all of us, regardless of appearance, race, gender, etc.” , said Fatlinda, one of the young leaders of Tetovo and alumni of the GLOW camp. Completing our service and project made me and my club members feel proud and confident and so happy for the work we have done, because all the money that the participants donated was given with so many surprises for children with special needs and finishing it speech with meaning, which made it even more effective and rewarding.”

GLOW and YMLP Vinica held a community beautification project. They painted a long section of wall in their shared park that was covered in graffiti. Their project got word of mouth with some local community members in the park coming to see what they were doing. The Vinica Club is excited to open up an opportunity for future community service projects – they want the local high school to paint some beautiful murals on the wall they cleaned and painted for their project. Finally, we would like to thank the European Fund for Democratization (EED), our corporate partners OKTA, Tinex, SASA mine, Alkaloid, Pekabesco and other corporate and individual donors for providing the monetary donations that made this volunteer project possible.