For Elmedina Abdulahi, the increase in respiratory diseases among children in Tetovo was a serious warning of the high levels of air pollution. She joined forces with her fellow female citizens within the organization Nena dhefemija (Mother and child) and started the battle for Tetovo’s clean air which resulted in the decrease of air pollution by 60 percent. Today, Elmedina has a new mission and new goals – as an independent member of the municipal council, she is using her experience in activism to make changes from within the institutions.

“It happened often that we thought, am I the one that should do this and why?!”

“The reason I started with this activism was not something I wanted to do or I chose to do, it was a necessity, it was my obligation as a parent to do something for my children. And I continue to do so because I saw our success and I saw that our society needs movements like this.”