For Immediate Release
DATE:  06-25-2008
Contact Information:  UMD's Charitable Efforts Coordinator Aleksandra Trpkovska, (586) 383-1721, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. & LOS ANGELES - June 25, 2008 - The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) and Splash of Hope are pleased to announce a partnership to form The Fund for Macedonian Children.  The Fund’s goal is to invest in the creation of effective humanitarian programs designed to benefit the youth of Macedonia and thereby forge a better future for the entire Balkan region.

The first signature project of the Fund will be a project entitled Building a Future, Today (BFT).  The Macedonian Mission for Humanity (MMH) will join UMD and Splash of Hope in the execution of the Building a Future, Today project.

The project aims to foster a positive development for children and youth in Macedonia based upon the principles that all 180,000 primary school students in Macedonia deserve:
• A safe environment that encourages personal growth;
• Hygienic supplies necessary for healthy development;
• Freedom and resources to utilize and apply individual talents, ingenuity, and resourcefulness;
• A strong sense of personal dignity and self worth based on strong Macedonian traditions and cultural values;
• Access to world-class education in order to prepare for the growing demands of a global economy.

Upcoming plans of the project are to:
• Provide educational supplies on an ongoing basis to schools and foster homes in need;
• Provide clothing, shoes, and other necessities to orphans throughout the country;
• Foster a partnership with USAID ’s Primary Education Project in Macedonia to improve the quality of primary education by developing extracurricular academic activities for children; and;
• Establish a scholarship program for Macedonian youth to help them pursue higher education.

For more information or to become a partner, please contact UMD Charitable Efforts Coordinator Aleksandra Trpkovska at (586) 383-1721 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

To donate or become a sponsor of The Fund for Macedonian Children, please click HERE. 

The Republic of Macedonia is a nation of 2.1 million people situated in the Balkan peninsula of southeast Europe. Currently, Macedonia is the first wireless country in the world and is implementing a project called “PC for Each Child.”

United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) is an international non-governmental organization addressing the interests and needs of Macedonians and Macedonian communities throughout the world since 2004.

Splash of Hope is a non-profit organization founded by Macedonian-Ukrainian-American actor Kristopher Maslardzievski dedicated to improving the lives of foster children in California, and is seeking to expand its vital work internationally. 

Macedonian Mission for Humanity (MMH) is a U.S. based non-governmental, non-profit organization that seeks to provide humanitarian assistance and support to Macedonian individuals and businesses around the world.