Association for support of economic development-Local action group-Kochani

The Association for support of economic development - Local action group - Kochani (NGO LAG) has been legally registered in 2011. It has been formed under LEADER + programme rules and its founding participants are representatives from public, business and NGO sector in municipality of Kochani.
Its mission is to support the economic development in the municipality of Kochani in all possible ways that might emerge as a result of the possibilities offered at the area of donor organizations, institutions as well as business sector. As the LEADER + programme has not been fully established in Republic of North Macedonia the Association continues working according its Statute, vision, mission and goals.
The NGO LAG members are very active in the Association and work in different areas and levels during the project application process. There are no regular paid staff in the association, and for each project we choose a team according to hers/his competences. Presently (at the beginning of the year 2020) Association has 35 active members and also
over 40 voluntaries. Many of the members are primary and secondary school students) that are joining activities in which NGO LAG is participating (mostly project from the interest of the local community)
The NGO LAG has conducted many project in different areas for example:
- “Social marketing champagne for raising the awareness among youth about energy efficiency”, financed by UNDP, municipality of Kochani and municipality of Probishtip.
- “Solar electric and heat energy to reduced CO2 from kindergarten”, financed by GEF PMG and municipality of Kochani.
- “Presenting the municipality of Kochani at the AGROFUD fair in Skopje, Eco-ethno Manifestation”, financed by municipality of Kochani.
- Finished ERAZMUS+ KA2 project “We grow up with eco resources” from September 2015 until December 2017. This project is partnership between Bulgaria and North Macedonia.
- Another Erasmus + programme project was the project with title “Health Y” and it is a partnership of six countries, namely Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Romania, Latvia, Slovakia and
Poland. This project was conducted in June 2016.
The association currently has seven ongoing ERASMUS + projects:
1."Augmented Reality Education Module - Development and implementation of innovative ICT - based educational tool in STEM orientated school subjects"- Acronym-AR EDU. It is a
partnership between North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Croatia,
2. "Eco gardens in our kindergartens" Acronym -ECO KIDS, a partnership between North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Croatia.
3. “Implementation of Virtual Reality based learning methodology in secondary schools”, Acronym - VR EDU. It is a partnership between North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Cyprus.
4. “A career counselling conceptual model for increasing of ICT entrepreneurship skills of VET secondary schools students”, Acronym- 21st century entrepreneurship. It is a partnership between North Macedonia, Croatia and Greece.
5. „Establishing of STE(A)M classroom concept in pre-school education“ (abbreviated STE(A)M kids), a parthership between N.Macedonia, Croatia, Turkey and Bulgaria.
6. “European Cultural Heritage in Education”, a partnership between N. Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey.
7. „Introducing of Digital Heritage in educational process“ (abbreviated Digital Heritage EDU)