Fruit processing factory opened in Kosovo and Metohija – production of “Simonida” is underway!

On Thursday, April 7, the factory plant for fruit processing and production of domestic juices was officially opened on the agricultural property of the Gračanica monastery. The building was consecrated by the Bishop of Raška and Prizren, His Grace Teodosije, in the presence of a large number of members, donors and friends of the Charity Serbs for Serbs and the organization Solidarity for Kosovo, headed by Arno Gujon. These two organizations together financed the entire project, with logistical support provided by the Diocese of Raška-Prizren and the Diocesan charity “Mother of Nine Jugovićs”.

The total value of the facility and the machine is 70,000 euros, of which the charity Serbs for Serbs provided 3,825,805 dinars. The capacity of the production plant will be from 500 to 1,000 liters per day, and will employ three to six people. It consists of three parts – production space, cooling chamber and warehouse.

On today’s Feast of the Annunciation, during Lent, we have gathered here on a happy occasion. We have continued the work of our holy ancestors who endowed us with beautiful churches, lodgings and economic structures. And we, during our time,  are not only renewing and preserving what they built, but are working on something new that is needed in these times. We are all connected and complete one another, and everything we do is for the glory of God, and for the benefit of our people who live here today and for future generations to come. This is not the last, but just one in a series of projects we have completed so far, and, God willing, we will continue with more in the future.  So that we have something to be proud of, that our children and descendants of Serbs who now live here can say that this was left to us from our fathers, from those who lived before us! – Bishop Teodosije pointed out in his sermon.

Funds for this “charity supported factory” were raised at the third annual Serbs for Serbs donors’ evening in Belgrade, Trojka iz Bloka in Bor, Basket for Happiness in Belgrade, Trojka iz Bloka in Block 63, Fuca iz Bloka in Ruma, Foosball iz Bloka in Belgrade and Darts and Ice Cream iz Bloka in Gornji Milanovac.

We owe great gratitude to all the donors who supported our humanitarian evening and the other events we organized. A large number of them have come to the opening ceremony today, and I am especially happy as this is for many, their first visit to the southern Serbian province. Let this be an invitation to Serbs throughout Serbia, the Balkans and the world to not forget our holy Kosovo and Metohija, regardless of what is happening around us and in the world. We are trying, to the best of our abilities, united in strength, to support as much as possible, our holy shrines and the people on this holy Serbian land! – said Igor Rašula, President of the charity Serbs for Serbs.

Part of the production will be used for the needs of the Theological Seminary of St. Cyril and Methodius in Prizren and monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija, while the rest will be sold in order to maintain the factory. The local population will also benefit from the purchase of its fruit, and fruit will be used from the agricultural property of the Raška and Prizren Diocese, which is often left to die due to the lack of adequate storage and processing.

The goal of such self-sustainable projects is for people not to live from humanitarian aid, but from their work. We will continue to finance such projects in Kosovo and Metohija with the help of 12,000 donors in France and in cooperation with the Diocese of Raška-Prizren and the fraternal organization of Serbs for Serbs! – said Milovan Simijonović on behalf of the organization Solidarity for Kosovo.

The successful completion of this project is of great importance for the entire Serbian community in Kosovo and Metohija because it is cyclically linked to existing projects and opens the possibility for young people to be employed and enables them to stay and thrive on their centuries-old homeland, with the possibility of earning money and supporting a family.

You have shown once again the strong and reliable support we can find in you. In addition to brotherly love, you provide us with great motivation for achieving our goals, and you do that with unreserved support in various areas! – stated a representative of the Diocesan charity “Mother of Nine Jugovićs” which runs soup kitchens in Kosovo and Metohija.

In addition to numerous individuals and companies,  the Delije Foundation, the charity All for Kosmet, the Cultural and Information Center of Serbs in the Republic of Northern Macedonia – SPONA, the Missionary Brotherhood of St. Stefan, the Youth Organization Serbia for Youth along with the Patriotism Foundation, all participated in Serbs for Serbs donors’ evening, once again showing the unity among charity organizations.

The Charity Serbs for Serbs invites everyone to be part of the next donors’ evening in Belgrade,  slated for mid-2022!