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 drop out rates,illiteracy,and low awareness of the importance of education.To combat these problems,Sumnal organizes and performs various educational, social and ch
aracter 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 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. 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. 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.
