The results of the GREASE project across Macedonia

Over the past month, the ARNO team has held a series of five events in different cities across the country, presenting the results of the GREASE project. The events were held through an informal bingo game, followed by a tasting of African cocoa from Africa Closer, in order to bring the topics of social entrepreneurship, rural women and community empowerment closer in an accessible and interactive way.

The first event was held on January 28, 2026 in the village of Umin Dol, Kumanovo, together with the winner of Green Ideas, Roze Trajković from the social enterprise “Rural Uma Sto”. The event was attended mainly by teachers and women activists who are actively involved in the development of rural tourism. The shared learning about social enterprises and personal stories on the topic “What does it mean to be a brave rural woman?” was the strongest impression of the meeting.

The second event was held on February 6, 2026 at the Scouts in Shtip. A special moment was the spontaneous lecture of a natural science professor – a participant in the event – ​​who spoke about the power of nature and the importance of eco-agriculture. The younger participants also heard the story of the journey of the cocoa bean, shared by Ivan from Africa Closer, as well as the inspiring example of Darko, who was recognized as a true guardian of scout values ​​and an activist for nature protection.

The third event was held on February 6 2026, in co-organization with Mena from the social enterprise “Medena Dolina”, also a winner of Green Ideas, in the village of Belica, near Kichevo. The great turnout, the creative retirees who shared poetry inspired by nature and rural life, as well as the success of Mena’s students with the awarded idea “Honey Path”, made this event particularly impressive. The spontaneous walk through the village after the event allowed for an authentic experience and deeper networking with the local community.

The fourth and final event in the series was held in Kriva Palanka on February 27, 2026, in collaboration with Maria Duda, owner of The Countryside in Rankovce. The event brought together young girls and boys who, through the interactive format, had the opportunity to get acquainted with the concept of social rural entrepreneurship and its potential for local development. The personal story of one of the participants, who shared her passion for animal protection, as well as the plan to organize a series of events and activities with a social purpose at the Kamenite Kukli locality, near Kokino, left a special impression. This moment once again confirmed the importance of creating a safe space where young people can share their ideas and receive encouragement for socially beneficial initiatives.

With these events, ARNO once again showed that the topics of sustainable development and social rural entrepreneurship are most strongly conveyed through direct meetings, sharing experiences and human stories.