Miss Stone Center can avert kitchen closure
The Miss Stone Center in Strumica, North Macedonia, which Connexio develop supports, provides more than 250 people with a hot meal every day. Now the operation was facing an existential hurdle because the previous head chef had to retire due to a serious illness.
For 15 years, Susana Tabanova, originally an assistant in the kitchen, had been in charge of the meal service at the Miss Stone Center has played a key role in shaping the company. After training alongside her job, she took over the management of the kitchen after the head chef at the time resigned to take up a new position abroad.
A key person must leave the kitchen
Since then, she has been at her workplace very early in the morning. With a great love for the cause and for people, she made a significant contribution to the Miss Stone Center becoming a source of hope for a large number of people.
However, Susana Tabanova recently fell seriously ill. Due to this illness, she is no longer allowed to be exposed to steam and heat. As a result, she can no longer work as a chef in the kitchen. She will soon have to retire.
Legal requirements threaten kitchen operations
This is not only a personal challenge, but also jeopardized the approval for the operation of the kitchen. Legal regulations require that a trained chef runs the kitchen. Closing the center, even temporarily, would have catastrophic consequences for the recipients who rely on the meals.
Recruitment with major challenges
The search for a solution was made more difficult by another problem: the lack of qualified specialists in North Macedonia. Many cooks migrate abroad to find better earning opportunities, which further exacerbates the situation in the country.
Numerous discussions revealed that Spasenka Madevska, the previous assistant, would be willing to take on responsibility for the kitchen. However, she lacked the formal training to obtain the necessary permits.
An unconventional path to a solution
The Executive Director of Diaconia North Macedonia contacted the director of a private university and, after many discussions, was finally able to ensure that Spasenka Madevska could register directly for the professional examination.
Just a few hours after the exam, she received confirmation that she had passed and now has the necessary qualifications. This ensures that the Miss Stone kitchen can continue to operate without interruption.
The task now is to hire another assistant to complete the center's kitchen crew. The challenge is great, but those responsible are confident that God will continue to prove to be a reliable helper.
A vulnerable work of charity
The turbulent events are more than just a change in personnel. They show the fragility of social institutions, whose continued existence is often taken for granted. Even a stable institution such as the Miss Stone Center in North Macedonia is a vulnerable work of charity, despite the impressive commitment of its employees.
What is necessary for the future
The center is dependent on financial support to secure salaries and maintain operations - there is no doubt about that. But at the same time, those responsible for the Miss Stone Center are also grateful for all prayerful support. Because they know that not everything is in their hands. It cannot be taken for granted that they will be able to continue their work among poor and needy people in North Macedonia.
Martin Konev, Diaconia North Macedonia / Urs Schweizer, Assistant to the Bishop, Zurich / S.F.
The Miss Stone Center in Strumica in the south-east of North Macedonia provides more than 200 people with a hot meal five times a week through the "Meals on Wheels" project. In recent years, capacity has been increased several times because the need is so great.
The "Hot meal for Radoviš" project provides 50 additional people in Radoviš, 40 km to the north-west, with a hot meal from the Miss Stone kitchen.
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