Our purpose – relief of poverty, sickness and distress
Manchester Aid to Kosovo (MaK), a charity run by volunteers based in the UK, supports recovery and development in Kosovo by providing opportunities, resources, and developing partnerships.
Manchester Aid to Kosovo was founded in 1999 by concerned citizens in Manchester, England, as an emergency response to escalating ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. MaK sent over 1,000 tons of aid to the region and supported refugees, many of whom had experienced the murder or disappearance of family members.
Child survivors in MaK help lead the charity. Their experiences are shared in a daily presentation in the Imperial War Museum North, ‘Children and War’. Their healing was aided by skillful surgery, loving support from the community, and rest and recuperation in the parks and gardens of Manchester. The children told MaK they wanted to create the Manchester Peace Park in their home town, Podujevë, Kosova, in honour of the care and love they received from the people of Manchester.
In October 2004 we planted 13,000 bulbs on the Manchester Peace Park site. With each bulb we planted the prayers and wishes of the community. The land has been drained and seeded, a Peace Garden has been planted with over a thousand trees and shrubs, children’s play areas created, an arena paved, paths improved, a trim trail constructed, art flags and sculpture installed, bridges built over a small stream and football posts erected. The Municipality of Podujevë has widened and paved paths and installed seating. Our work has extended to many other areas incuding education, human rights, art, sport and medical aid.
For every £1 you give 93p is spent on projects, 2p is spent on administration and 5p spent to create future income.
Our approach
MaK was formed in 1999 as a crisis aid organisation by concerned citizens in Manchester, England – an emergency response to escalating ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. Initially part of part of Flixton Fellowship, Manchester Aid to Kosovo became an independent Registered Charity 1087178 in 2001.
MaK is run by unpaid volunteers and has a governing body of 6 with additional co-opted specialist committee members. The Committee meets several times a year for formal meetings and members meet daily on a local informal level. MaK’s AGM is open to the public. Its accounts are fully audited and submitted to the Charities Commission.
The charity has a wide supporter base of approximately 100 in the UK and in Kosovo. In Kosovo this includes members of central and local government, members of the artistic community, and other residents who live and work in Podujevë including its own grass roots groups – MaK Children’s Summer Club, the Peace Boys of Podujevë, Vizioni i Paqes and MaK’s Women’s business Initiative.
MaK sent over 1,000 tons of aid to the region and supported refugees, many of whom had experienced injury and the murder or disappearance of family members.
MaK is run by volunteers many of whom work 365 days a year to help recovery in Kosovo become a reality. We also have two staff in Kosovo. MaK costs are minimal. Volunteers working in Kosovo pay their own costs if possible or raise sponsorship. We have relatively little income but achieve a great deal with limited financial resources. MaK is extremely grateful for the donations which make all our work possible.
MaK focuses on assets. Recognising each of us has creativity, strength and skills within us, we are rich.
We have become gardeners, builders, drivers, musicians, performers, teachers, youth leaders, dancers, actors, project leaders, designers, cooks, embroiderers, artists, curators, IT specialists, writers and carpenters! Through closely working with the community in Kosovo and the Kosovo community in the UK we establish projects to address emerging needs. MaK is greatly strengthened by strong partnerships. All of our projects can be linked back to the main areas in which we work.
MaK’s patrons are Manchester musician, Badly Drawn Boy, Lt Col David Vassallo, (BAMC), the British Army surgeon who found and medically evacuated the Bogujevci children and other civilian casualties and e-medicine developer, Mireille Gomes.
