Opportunity for Development for the Most Vulnerable Children in North Macedonia
The lack of access to specialised developmental services can shape a child’s future opportunities for years to come. The Mother Teresa Centre in Gevgelija, located in the south-eastern region of North Macedonia, provides essential support to children and families for whom adequate care represents not only assistance, but a genuine opportunity for development and inclusion.
North Macedonia’s challenging economic situation particularly affects families raising children who require specialised developmental support. In such circumstances, gaps in the care system do not merely create difficulties — they can lead to long-term disadvantages and increased vulnerability. Ensuring continuity of services for children and their families is therefore of critical importance, as the absence of appropriate care can significantly limit a child’s future prospects.
The Mother Teresa Centre in Gevgelija offers comprehensive support to children and families who would otherwise often remain without adequate services. For many, the developmental therapies provided here are not supplementary assistance, but the essential foundation that enables children to participate in education and community life.
Since 2023, the centre has been operated by Macedonian Caritas. It delivers specialised developmental services for children living with Down syndrome, autism spectrum conditions, and speech or motor development disorders — services that were previously unavailable or only sporadically accessible in the region. The lack of such support affects not only developmental outcomes but also everyday functioning.
Support from the Hungary Helps Program has ensured the continuity of these vital services. The assistance has enabled the professional programmes to continue uninterrupted and has prevented children from being forced to rely on external solutions that are often inaccessible or unsustainable.
The project is built on two main professional pillars: an early intervention developmental programme for children, and a developmental–employment support programme designed for young people. Through early intervention, children aged 0–12 — and in exceptional cases older youth with hearing impairments — receive complex therapies based on individual development plans, significantly improving their chances for independence later in life. The developmental–employment programme supports young people in acquiring essential life skills, helping them avoid long-term vulnerability and social exclusion.
The Hungary Helps support has also made it possible for the centre to continue operating with highly qualified professionals, including speech therapists, conductors, physiotherapists and neurodevelopmental specialists. Their presence is not an additional service but a prerequisite for providing the level of care these children require.
Today, the Mother Teresa Centre represents a vital institution for families in the south-eastern region of North Macedonia. Its work strengthens not only the development of children but also the everyday stability and resilience of their families. The Hungary Helps Program contributes to ensuring that these children can receive the support they need within their own communities, in dignified conditions, enabling a future with broader opportunities.
