20 Rural Schools in Serbia Selected to Receive New Furniture

Twenty schools in rural Serbia have been selected to receive new furniture as donations, to improve learning conditions for more than 3,500 students. This initiative is made possible through the generous support of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The Church), which is financing furniture for 18 schools, while individual donors are funding two additional schools.

Believing that access to quality education is essential for the future of children, youth, and the country as a whole, the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation has been supporting Serbian schools since 2007, particularly those in rural areas, special education institutions, and student dormitories, helping the most vulnerable groups, including children from large families, single-parent households, and Roma communities.

	School name	Village and Municipality/City
1	OŠ Despot Stefan Visoki	Trućevac, Batočina-Despotovac
2	OŠ Sveti Sava	Dobrovodice, Batočina
3	OŠ Sveti Sava	Crni Kal, Batočina
4	OŠ Stevan Sinđelić	Vojska, Svilajnac
5	OŠ Živko Tomić	Donja Šatornja, Topola
6	OŠ Dobrila Stambolić	Lalinac, Svrljig
7	OŠ Petar Vragolić	Donja Ljuboviđa, Ljubovija
8	OŠ Sveti Sava	Toponica, Ljubovija
9	OŠ Miloje Sinović	Goločelo, Kragujevac
10	OŠ Sreten Mladenović	Desimirovac, Kragujevac
11	OŠ 20. oktobar	Vlase, Vranje
12	OŠ Dositej Obradović	Moštanica, Vranje
13	OŠ Dobrisav-Dobrica Rajić	Bistrica, Nova Varoš
14	OŠ Miodrag Milovanović Lune	Karan, Užice
15	OŠ Stari grad	Volujac-Kadinjača, Užice
16	OŠ Georgi Dimitrov	Gornja Lisina, Gornja-Donja Ljubata, Bistar, Bosilegrad
17	OŠ Vuk Karadžić	Bačko Dobro Polje
18	OŠ Slavko Rodić	Krajišnik, Sečanj
19	OŠ Julija Ćatić	Stragari, Vlaška
20	OŠ Jordan Đukanović	Varda, Kosjerić

The quality of educational infrastructure varies widely throughout the country, with rural schools often suffering from outdated facilities, lack of furniture, and inadequate educational resources, whereas urban schools are generally better equipped.

For rural communities, the presence of well-equipped schools is crucial to slowing depopulation as families relocate to urban areas or abroad in search of better opportunities. Despite the Serbian government's Education Development Strategy, which aims to build new preschool facilities in underdeveloped areas, progress has been slow, contributing to a rising dropout rate among older students in rural regions. Many of these students face significant challenges, including long travel distances to school, outdated classrooms, and insufficient basic infrastructure such as heating, sanitation, and furniture.

The long-term impact of this initiative is significant. The newly provided blackboards, desks, chairs, and science kits will benefit students for years to come, ensuring improved education quality. By partnering with local communities, the project ensures that the equipment will be maintained and used efficiently. The donation is scheduled to be distributed over the next three months, making an immediate impact on rural schools that struggle with outdated infrastructure.