The renovation of two preschools – Maslačak in Novi Sad and Kelemen in Bačko Petrovo Selo, in the municipality of Bečej – which will allow the children to continue their education in better and improved conditions, is now complete. Thanks to donations from AIK Bank and MK Group, who each contributed EUR 25,000 to these preschools as part of their socially conscious Family Support initiative, the renovations were finished during the summer.\
While the investment in the Kelemen preschool in the municipality of Bečej allowed for the painting of the entire interior and the purchase of new clothes cabinets, cots, toys, and furniture for the two rooms where children stay, the donation to the Maslačak preschool in Novi Sad included the full renovation of three bathrooms.
The Director of the Maslačak preschool in Novi Sad, Ljiljana Kardelis, expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Education and the donors, while the Director of the Kelemen preschool in Bačko Petrovo Selo, Tatjana Mitić, stressed that the forty or so children enrolled there will now have a chance to thrive in a new, more pleasant environment.
“This year, we donated EUR 350,000 to preschool institutions in the Serbian municipalities in which we operate. We accomplished the preschool renovations in collaboration with AIK Bank, and we are excited to be able to see the children in their new and improved surroundings. MK Group has been a dependable partner to the local communities in which it operates for forty years. As part of our jubilee year celebration, we pledged to donate a minimum of EUR 1 million annually to social responsibility projects,” said Jovan Purar, MK Group’s Head of Legal and General Affairs.
For AIK Bank, a statement was made by Maja Spasić, Head of Marketing and Communications – “This year, eight preschools were supported by AIK Bank and MK Group through the Family Support Program. By making these donations, we demonstrate our unwavering dedication to helping future generations, as preschools represent the initial step on a child’s educational journey and a highly sentimental time for their parents,” Spasić said.
The opening of the reconstructed preschools was attended by Igor Crnobarac, Deputy Mayor of Novi Sad, and Vuk Radojević, President of the Municipality of Bečej, and their satisfaction with the finished projects was evident.
“We are continuing the Family Support Program in honour of the twin jubilee of 40 years for MK Group and 65 years for Carnex. Our socially conscious initiatives centre around children, youth, and family values; contributions to preschools work to enhance the early childhood environments for children,” concluded Ivan Zeković, CEO of Carnex.
By the end of the year, more than 20 preschools in the entire Adria Region will be rebuilt, for which MK Group and AIK Banka have allotted EUR 750,000. In the near future, the completion of works in Serbian preschools that received donations will also be noted.
