Home
/həʊm/ noun
the place where one lives, especially as a member of a household or family
People often confuse house and home, but these are two very different things. A house is just a building, and it can be used for anything. A home is a family, warmth, safety, and comfort. At home you should feel safe to be who you are, accepted and loved by the ones who live with you, and able to go through life feeling supported and heard. That’s what Lighthouse of Hope MK offers to children in North Macedonia through our family-style group homes.
Until October 2019, North Macedonia was using institutionalized care for all orphans, and special needs adults. In institutions, because of a lack of resources and facilities, children are not able to receive the care they need, nor are they able to form healthy attachments.
Therefore, through the plan for deinstitutionalization, all orphans that were in the institutions, in both Skopje (the capital) and Bitola (where Lighthouse of Hope MK is based), were placed in government run group homes and foster families.
That is why Lighthouse of Hope MK is building family-style group homes within North Macedonia, to help children who need to be placed in a family that will help with their individual special needs.
Each home will have a set of group home parents who will be responsible for caring for the children with the assistance of therapists, counselors, and other special care providers.
There will also be a family dog at each of the homes that is specially trained to work with and around children who may be in wheelchairs, unstable on their feet, or fearful.
Through your donations, you can help with the construction and ongoing costs of building and operating group homes in Southeastern Europe by partnering with Lighthouse of Hope MK through monthly support, or a one time gift.
The JOY Home is Lighthouse of Hope MK’s first group home, and is well on it’s way to being ready to open its doors! Located just outside Bitola, North Macedonia, The JOY Home will be a place for up to six children to live with a set of specialized group home parents and a trained therapy dog. With a large open yard, fruit trees, and flowers everywhere, The JOY Home will be an amazing place for children to grow up and learn about the world around them in a familial setting.