Slogan: Be the change – be with us in creating better future!

Sumnal-Association for development of the Roma community in  Macedonia was established in June 2004 answering the needs of the public schools, and the predominantly Roma community of Topaana, related to extremely poor school performance, high dropout rates, illiteracy, and low awareness of the importance of education. Since 2012 it expanded its activities in Bitola (the second largest city in Macedonia with a numerous Roma community) by hosting an Early children’s development center. To combat these problems, Sumnal organizes and performs various educational, social and character building activities in close relation with the proposed and taught material in the regular schools and curricula prepared by the Ministry of Education. At Sumnal, we work diligently every day to improve the lives and living standards of the people of Topaana in Skopje and Bair in Bitola through education and advocacy. While always remaining true to our original mission and goals, in just a few years the services provided by Sumnal have grown dramatically. Through collaboration with the community, the Parents Counsel, and close relationships with the local schools, Sumnal has been able to identify and begin to target additional community needs. Today, in addition to over 60 hours a week of educational opportunities conducted for children and parents, Sumnal now provides a wide variety of services for all community members. These services include, but are not limited to: women’s rights, tutoring, attaining public services, citizen registration, combating environmental deprivation, family violence, hygiene and sanitation, vaccinations, children’s rights, adult literacy, democratic participation, the environment, and much more. The advancement of the people of Topaana and Bair is by no means certain. Nevertheless, Sumnal is starting to provide the tools and resources needed to educate an unprecedented number of adults and children in the community of Topaana and Bair. Undoubtedly, the hopes, dreams and future of an entire generation is brighter due to the efforts of the staff, volunteers, partners, and supporters of Sumnal.

Vision: Roma people are integrated in the society and give bigger contribution to development of Republic of Macedonia
Mission statement: To empower Roma community in Macedonia trough improvement and development of the Education, Culture, Creative development of Children and Youth, Social Inclusion, Economic Development, Health and Environment and Nature Protection.
Value statement: In order to accomplish vision and mission in our work, we will promote:
-    Tolerance, respect of the differences and dialog;
-    Culture of peace and mutual understanding;
-    Publicity and transparency in our work;
-    Responsibility in implementation of our activities in a front of the Law regulation, international conventions, donor community and Roma community to whom we and our work are dedicated;
-    Promotion of the culture of participatory democracy in public and in our everyday work; 
-    Development of the programs and projects focused on the Roma community; 
-    Respect of the human rights and dignity of all people with whom we are in contact;
-    We will constantly create possibilities for community work and promotion of the voluntary work;
-    We will have open and direct communication with all stakeholders of interest in our work (local and national institutions and decision makers, business sector and other Ngo’s in Macedonia and other countries that can contribute to improvement of the results of our work performance)

Programs

EDUCATION 

1. Promotion for formal and informal education of children and young Roma;

- Continuing work with children and young Roma form school age in Sumnal centers in municipality of Chair (Topaana) and Shuto Orizari in Skopje, as well as in the neighborhood of Bair in Bitola;

- Helping children and youth in preparing homework;

- Tutoring;

- Assistance in enrolling in school;

- Organization of educational and other special events to support the education of Roma children and youth;

- Supporting students for enrolling the faculty for some of the Universities in FYROM and directing them according to the wishes, interests and needs of the Roma community in Macedonia;

 2. Activities for continuing education and retraining;

- Activities for motivating adult citizens for completing primary and secondary school;

- Promotion and implementation of the concept for Lifelong Learning Program for adults and elderly;  

HEALTH

In health care as a segment when it comes to Roma people, are shown certain specifies that differ from the general national picture of health.

The most frequent diseases among young Roma are considered infectious diseases (hepatitis, enter colitis, parasites diseases, skin infections, TB) and other cardiovascular diseases, nerve disorders, while adolescents are growing disease of addiction particularly drug abuse.

Health policy, when it comes to Roma, because of the complexity and the different aspects of the problems that reflect the health imposing multi - sectored approach. This means achieving specific health care that is already adopted and in which said taking preventive measures especially among vulnerable categories of population among whom are Roma.