Smart Start Social Enterprises

  1. HumanaS (Humanity)
  • Social challenge:

In Macedonia there is still a stigma and reticence about care of elderly in homes for this purpose. Additionally, although the unemployment rate is decreasing, it is still high and according to recent data from the State Statistical Office, the current rate is 23.1%.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

HumanaS is offering vocational training and certification via special program for elderly care in order to provide quality and professional service providers in the home of an older person. Housekeeping, assistance on daily activities, basic health and ergonomic rules and procedures as well as psycho-social support and legal protection is just part of the servicesthat elderly persons will receive in their homes.

  • Added value of Smart Start enterprise:

Avoiding the waiting lists for admission for private homes for the elderly persons, cheaper services and giving the tasks and trust to professionals who build stable and sustainable relationships with their customers.

Achievements with the Smart Start grant:

  1. Creative-educational center for children “Zhabec” (Eco Logic)
  • Social challenge:

The courses related to environmental protection in the primary education are not sufficiently represented in the existing curricula, whereas the private children centers are mainly aimed at intellectual and physical development of children, or offer content that serve as support to the courses which are taught during school hours.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

Psycho – physical development of children through lectures and interactive exercises related to environmental protection, ecology, cycling, hiking, sustainable living and healthy food.

  • Added value of Smart Start enterprise:

Mitigate the growing problems related to spine deformitysuch as scoliosis and kyphosis among children, creating healthy habits and raising awareness on environmental protection.

  1. Re-use and recycling for positive social change (PHS – Prilep)
  • Social challenge:

Bitola and Prilepare still struggling with high unemployment, where most affected are those who are below the poverty line as well as persons with certain psycho-physical disabilities. On the other hand, in these cities there is no sustainable system for collecting old household furniture.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

This company offers training for unemployed and marginalizedpersons for acquiring skills on repairing and selling old furniture, whereas from the unusable furniture manufacture of unique wood products or wood chips that would be used in the production of heating pellets.

  • Added value of Smart Start enterprise:

Promotion of “green jobs” andre-socializationvia sustainable mechanism for collection and processing of bulky waste in Bitola and Prilep.

  1. Second-hand clothes shop “Button” (Red Cross)
  • Social challenge:

In Skopje and throughout the country, there is no organized way of collecting timeworn clothes. Additionally, there is still prejudice against using second hand clothes. Having this in mind, alongside with the high unemployment, the Macedonian Red Cross decides to mollify exactly this set of problems.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

“Button” represents a store which employs people from vulnerable category, in which you can buy a well-preserved and clean second-hand clothes. In addition, the store will be able to get shnajderski services for minor repairs.

  • Added value of Smart Start Enterprise:

Creating eco-society of responsible citizens with good habits where everyone values ​​what it receives and contributes to the community in which s/he lives.

  1. LDA Struga
  • Social challenge:

Despite the growing number of domestic and foreign tourists, the offer for active tourism remains scarce. Additionally, long-term unemployed women from Struga and Ohrid still have limited opportunities for employment; children from socially disadvantaged families also face challenge with employment and involvement in the social flows.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

Organized kayak and canoe tours along the Crn Drin flow, accompanied by visits to cultural and historical monuments as well as lunch in coastal settlements of Drimkol or Malesia, prepared by the unemployed women of these settlements. High school students will act as advisers and logistical support for the tours (loading and cleaning of the kayaks, assistance to women in Drimkol and Malesia etc.).

  • Added value of Smart Start enterprise:

Enriching the tourist promotion and offer of Macedonia and support for the kayak clubs in Struga and Ohrid.

  1. “Pedal” Cycling Center (Center for Sustainable Initiatives)
  • Social challenge:

Air pollution is a serious problem both for the capital and inner Macedonia. On the other hand, part of the active cyclists as traffic participants often use defective bikes that endanger their own, but the lives of other road users.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

“Pedal” Cycling Center represents a place which offers bicyclesservice and maintenance, training for self-maintenance of bicycles and sale of bicycle spare parts and related products. In addition, it is a place where customers can refresh themselves with coffee or juice while waiting for theirbike to be repaired.

  • Added value of Smart Start enterprise:

“Pedal” will not only promote cycling, but will play a role asa social center and place for socializing.

  1. Rainbow
  • Social challenge:

Rural women continue to face limited opportunities for involvement in the labor market. Those who are engaged, often workon the family fields and without regulated status and seniority. On the other hand, there is a tendency of detachment from the old and traditional ways of drying vegetables and fruits which is feature of the Macedonian culture and customs.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

Through training for unemployed rural women, “Rainbow” will revive the traditional way of red pepper threading. Threading will be strategic – part of the threads would be for immediate sale, while others will be transmitted to the middlemen and additionally reprocessedin spices (Crven piper or Bukovec).

  • Added value of Smart Start Enterprise:

Cultural and economic empowerment of women, and the return of old customs and cultural features.

  1. “Facto to Face – Gift”
  • Social challenge:

The unemployment rate is still high, whereas most affected marginalized people andthose coming from vulnerable groups.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

“Face to face” famous for the eponymous street magazine turns into “Face to Face – Gift”. Besides the street magazine, the sale will be enrich withbrandedproducts such as coffee mugs, glass pads, notebooks, pens, pencils, rubbers, shirts, bags, magnets, Christmas and New year cards, birthday cards, calendars, bookmarks etc. Through three thematic programs and integrated design,sellerswill enrich the supply by installing a booth in the Skopje city center.

  • Added value of Smart Start Enterprise:

Promotion of solidarity economy as a social concept and raising public awareness of important social issues.

  1. ZUR Macedonian handcrafters
  • Social challenge:

Unemployment remains bitter issue for residents of Pelagonija region, especially for those from the rural areas and people with some disability.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

ZUR Macedonian handcrafters offers training on making jewelry for people in rural areas and people with special needs who are still jobless. Jewelry made of silverthread, zippers and beads, souvenirs of wood or glass, hand painted porcelain, embroideries, assemblages, models, icons, mosaics and gourds are just some of the products that will be offered on on-line sales.

  • Added value of Smart Start Enterprise:

Preservation, appreciation, affirmation and promotion of Macedonian culture and traditions, boosting online sales in the country and economic empowerment of vulnerable persons.

  1. “Coolinari” (ARNO)
  • Social challenge:

Youth unemployment continuous to be a problem; the image of vocational education, especially the catering, remains poor. On the other hand, the trend of using unhealthy fast food is increasingoverall in the country.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

“Cоolinari” provides supply a small van of which will be sold etc. “Healthy fast food”. Food will be prepared by the students enrolled in schools catering, line guidance of an experienced master chef.

  • Added value of Smart Start Enterprise:

Expanding the offer of street food with so called “Healthy fast food” and the opportunity to increase school thematic events (Chinese night, Italian night, Spanish Cuisine Days etc.).

  1. ZENITH
  • Social challenge:

There is а doubt in the Macedonian market about the quality assessment of the application practicesrelated to ISO 26000 Guide on Social Responsibility. On the other hand, companies which want to assert their socially responsible practices often are not able to allocategreater amounts of their budgets to hire foreign consultancy companies that provide these services at much higher prices.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

ZENIT will provide services to Macedonian companies on the application and assessment of the implementation of the ISO 26000 Guide on Social Responsibility (CSR- Corporate Social Responsibility), as well as training and support for the companies in regards to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

  • Аdded value of Smart Start enterprise:

Improving the ethical aspects of corporate governance, respect for human rights and labor standards paid by businesses, fair business practices and relationship with consumers, and community investments.

  1. NSRF
  • Socialchallenge:

A clothes recycling in Macedonia is almost missing which affects the quality of the environment. On the other hand, long-term unemployed people need a lasting solution for a decent living.

  • SmartStartenterprise:

NSRF will collect old and worn clothing. The one which is well preserved will be redesigned, fashion details will be addedand it will be offered for direct and online sales. Timeworn clothing or stained clothes will be retailored and processed in house slippers, cushions covers, bed covers, bags, kitchen towels, carpets / rugs etc. The remains will be used for decoration of the products or making accessories like necklaces, flower pins and brooches, earrings and etc. For all these activities, disadvantaged women or elderly persons at the privatenursing homes will be engaged, following adequatetraining.

  • AddedvalueofSmartStartenterprise:

Preservingtheenvironmentandincreasingthesupplyofhandmadeproducts.

  1. Cultural Treasure
  • Social challenge:

Art workers and artisans are facing difficultiesentering the labor market. In addition, the supply of handicrafts and handmade products is becoming poorer and poorer.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

The website http://www.kulturnariznica.mk/ which already serves as an online shop for traditional souvenirs, handicrafts, jewelry and icons, needs rebranding, upgrading and connecting with social networks. Additionally, it wants to expand its offer with products that are related to the culture and customs of other minority communities.

  • Added value of Smart Start enterprise:

Contribution to interethnic coexistence, preservation of traditional artistic values ​​and promotion of e-shopping.

  1. Hub IT (Open the windows)
  • Social challenge:

Nowadays jobs require computer skills, from basic to advanced, but persons with disabilities (depending on their education or training) often face difficulties in acquiring computer and / or Internet skills. This presents a problem for them as well as the fact that almost all websites in the country are not adjusted for this type of people.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

This hub on one hand provides services to people with disabilities such as accessible space, IT training and training for soft skills, employabilitysupport, counseling, etc., whereas on other offers services to companies / institutions / organizations to test the accessibility of their information / websites as well as assistance in developing accessible IT solutions.

  • Added value of Smart Start enterprise:

Building society with equal opportunities for all and raising the awareness among the business sector and state institutions on the need for accessibility of their IT tools to all citizens.

  1. “Farm Service” ( Rural Coalition)
  • Social challenge:

Large mills sometimes refuse to buy grain produced by the farmers from the Kumanovo-Lipkovo region. Onetime they decide to do so, sometimes in return they offerproducers flour without stamps and bags with no labeling of the manufacturer. This creates suspicion among farmers and affectsactivities.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

After a while, the producers of wheat, barley, rye, corn, buckwheat, oats and other cereals will be able to submit their kind of “Farm service” and thus in turn get white flour or whole wheat for domestic consumption or livestock flour for feeding their livestock. This ensures regular purchase, avoiding the waiting queues and no doubt about what you get in return.

  • Added value of Smart Start enterprise:

Building trust between the farmers, opportunity to increase production and improve the quality of wheat products (flour, bread, baked goods, etc.).

  1. OWMSN
  • Social challenge:

Women with malignant diseases have constant need of assistance, support and socialization. Such programs are almost missing, whereas the limited purchasing power affects the needful time to buy the expensive medicines, but also to purchase utensils that will enable to easily bridge the period of chemotherapy treatment.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

OZHOSN plans to open the first social enterprise in SvetiNikole – “Viktori Decorations” that offers decorations for birthday and celebration parties of your children; the income will be earmarked for persistent work of self-help groups of women treated from cancer, by giving psychosocial assistance and support, procurement of medical devices, breast forms, wigs, turbans, and financial support for medicine and travel expenses for therapies. Some decorations will be made out of these women resulting re-socialization andself-help during the treatment.

  • Аdded value of Smart Start enterprise:

Rising awareness among children and youngsterson the need for participation in humanitarian activities and actions from the earliest age.

  1. Therapeutic Community “Pokrov” (Izbor)
  • Social challenge:

Drug, alcohol and hazard addicts are discriminated on the margins of society and without solemn opportunities to enter or progress in the labor market. State programs for re-socialization and rehabilitation are with modest success which further deepens their exclusion.

  • Smart Start enterprise:

The therapeutic community “Pokrov” which presents long-term rehabilitation program for treating drug, alcohol and hazard addicts and which has its own greenhouse production of fruits and vegetables, plans procurement and installation of 10t. refrigerator to keep cold vegetables and fruitsas well as construction of 2 solar dryers for fruits and vegetables with a capacity of 100 kg with ultimate goal – hiring  two persons who will successfully complete the rehabilitation program.

  • Added value of Smart Start enterprise:

New opportunities for expanding the social economy, and enrich the supply of organic vegetables and fruits.

  1. Innovative Academy – InnAc (Millennium)
  • Social challenge:

Children with communication disorders have no place to improve their communication skills. In addition, children are increasingly “drawn” to use of electronic devices and the Internet, and at the same time parents are not aware of the consequences on their psycho-social development. A problem in Tetovo as well in the region is the fact that there are no day care centers for additional education and training of children outside the regular schools.

  • Smart Home Enterprise:

Innovative Academy InnAc will comprehend three modules: IT Academy, Art Academy and Academy of Speech. Through courses, trainings and day care, children, as well as their parents will gain knowledge about proper use of electronic devices and Internet, whereas their creative potentials will be developed through workshops for photography, film and fine arts clases; the speaking courses will enable them to Improve the art of speech, public speaking, presenting, communication and more.

  • Added value of Smart Start Enterprise:

Strengthening the links between parents and children, free inclusion of children from social risk and complementary lectures to the regular education system.