New!
	(sponsored by The Office of the World Bank in Macedonia)

(Click here for info on the project)

	(sponsored by The Office of the World Bank in Macedonia)

As a partner of the Youth Information Center, MAZA is directly involved in fulfilling the activities of the project 'Information Center for Preventive Dentistry', sponsored by the office of the World Bank in Macedonia and covering the area of Western Macedonia. The project started its implementation as of 1st of June, 2001 and was consisted of educating 4 target groups in the field of preventive dentistry: kindergarten children, school children, pregnant women and mothers of newborn. The outcome was extremely successful: 3000 children from elementary schools and 3000 parents were introduced to the subject

Due to the current situation in Macedonia, the planned activities in Tetovo and Kumanovo have been postponed. We hope that by the end of this year, the children from both of these regions will have an equal chance to learn something more about oral health.

The second project that was submitted to the 'Institute for Lasting communities' under the name of 'Improving public knowledge of oral health' is, in a way, an expansion of the first on the territory of Eastern Macedonia. It aims to reach a balanced state of oral health of children in all of Macedonia.

(images from the production of the educative movie - click on image to zoom)

The project 'Information Center for preventive dentistry' was boldly and widely acknowledged by those concerned: kindergarten children along with their parents, teachers, school children and their parents, pregnant women and mothers of newborn. To our surprise, MAZA's dedicated educators reached a far greater number of target people: 4500 chldren and 1000 parents. The attainment of the project took the following path:

June of 2001:
- Training 6 dentists for the following activities;
- Staff managing meetings;
- Graphically preparing the brochure named 'The Dentist's Shop'.

July of 2001:
- Staff managing meetings;
- Holding our first seminar named 'Information Center for preventive dentistry' on the 10th of July, in the offices of The Dentistry Institute of Macedonia, under the supervision of our patron, Prof. Dr. Carchev;
- Publishing the brochure named 'The Dentist's Shop'.

August of 2001:
- Shooting the educational movie 'Who is going to the dentist?!'
- Preparing an Internet presentation.

September of 2001:
- Holding the second seminar 'Information Center for preventive dentistry' on the 13th of September, in the amphitheater of the Faculty of Dentistry in Skopje.
- Holding lectures in 70 kindergartens, 14 elementary schools and 7 Counseling Institutes for pregnant women and mothers of newborn.

October of 2001:
- Presenting the top drawings and paintings of children at the summit of the Macedonian non-governmental organizations at the hotel Alexandar Palace in Skopje, 21-23rd October.

November of 2001:
- Holding the third seminar named 'Teaching teachers the primary preventive measures' on the 1st of November in the kindergartens of 'Veseli Cvetovi' in Kisela Voda, as well as in many elementary schools.
- Holding new and improved lectures in 70 kindergartens, 14 elementary schools and 7 Counseling Institutes for pregnant women and mothers of newborn.

The goal of this project was improving the public awareness and knowledge in the field of preventive dentistry in 15 schools in Eastern Macedonia. The second-graders were especially enthusiastic to interactively participate in the lectures on the following subjects:

- Milk and permanent dentition;
- Best way to prevent caries from occurring;
- FLUOR - The tooth's best friend;
- Plombiranje na zalezna 6ka, shto e toa?
- Why go and see the dentists?

Instead of teaching the predicted 840 students, a far greater number of 1200 students was successfully targeted due to the size and number of classes in certain schools. However, instead of the predicted 840 parents, only 400 attended these lectures. This certainly challenged us to further construct a project in preventive dentistry, in which parents will be specifically targeted.. The attainment of the project took the following path:

August of 2001:
- Graphically preparing and modifying the brochure named 'The Dentist's Shop'.
- Preparing interactive lectures;

September of 2001:
- Short training in lecturing and organizing an interactive class in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Carchev, from the Clinc for Children and Preventice Dentistry, at the Faculty of Dentistry in Skopje and with Petra Panevska, a teacher in the elementary school 'Dimitar Miladinov' in Skopje.

October of 2001:
- Holding lectures and workshops in the elementary schools of 'Slavco Stojmenski' in Vinica and 'Todor Arsov' in the village of Zrnovci, near Kocani..

November of 2001:
- Holding lectures and workshops in the elementary schools of 'Vanco Prke', 'Goce Delcev' and 'Dimitar Vlahov' in Shtip.

December of 2001:
- Holding lectures and workshops in the elementary schools of 'Vlado Kantardjiev' in Gevgelija and 'Risto Shuklev' in the village of Negorci and 'Kiril and Metodij' in village Ilovica, 'Manush Turnovski' in village Novo Selo as well as in 'Sando Masev' in the city of Strumica.. Lectures and workshops were also held in the city of Valandovo.

January of 2002:
- Holding lectures and workshops in 'Tosho Velkov - Pepeto' and 'Goce Delcev' in Kavadarci, 'Strasho Pindjur' in Negotino and 'Goce Delcev' in Sv. Nikole.
- Measuring an index of oral hygiene in a test group.

In comparing the measured index of oral hygiene before and after the lectures, we have concluded an improved oral health in more than 60% of the tested, which stands as solid proof of the successfulness of this project.

Our following activities will focus on the fields of primary health protection and help of mentally handicapped people, deaf people and numerous marginalized civil groups such as convicts, retired people etc.