Center for Sustainable Community Development – Debar: Lifeguards on a beach of Lake Debar

In 2018, the Association “Center for Sustainable Community Development” from Debar launched an initiative to place lifeguards on the beach of Lake Debar. The same year, signs were placed on the lake and a tower for lifeguards was set up on the beach, but due to the lack of funds, the initiative was not implemented. In 2019, main donors for the same initiative were the Association of Debar Diaspora from New York and the Association for the Fatherland Debar – SHAD, which covered all costs for the implementation of the initiative. In order for the implementation of the initiative to be even more successful, it was also supported by the local organization of the Red Cross from Debar.

This year, through the Red Cross Debar, 8 lifeguards received training for lifeguards on calm water and received a lifeguard license.  SHAD procured lifeguard equipment and swimming equipment for children and non-swimmers, and provided remuneration for 6 lifeguards for the months of July and August. The restaurants that work on the beach assumed an obligation to serve a free meal to the lifeguards. In 2020, SHAD once again provided remuneration for 4 lifeguards and the donors raised an initiative, in the future, the lifeguards to be financed by the Municipality of Debar.  In 2021, the Municipality of Debar responded positively to the request of the initiators/donors and accepted to cover the remuneration of the lifeguards from the municipal budget, and to do so every year.

The total budget for this initiative is MKD 555,000.00.