Training and workshops for water safety and sanitation were held for teachers and students in Čajetina, on September 26 and 25, 2024, in cooperation with the elementary school “Dimitrije Tucović” from Čajetina and representatives of the organization “Women Engaged for a Common Future” (WECF) from Germany. The training aimed to increase the participants’ knowledge of the Water Safety and Sanitation Plan (WSSP), menstrual health/hygiene and microplastics about their role and how to implement activities in rural and semi-urban communities in the Balkan region. The material used during the training and workshop is the WSSP Compendium, as well as materials for microplastic research available in English, Albanian, Serbian, Macedonian and Bosnian

The lecturers were Nataša Dokovska, Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), for menstrual hygiene and “Hour on Water”; Eli-Maria Lud – for microplastics; Bistra Mihajlova, Maria Papateodorou, as WECF WSSP representatives; and Aleksandra Mladenović, Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development (EASD).

Agenda and materials are posted in Serbian language.

Participants were divided into groups:

• Positive and negative aspects of the local situation of water supply and sanitation – especially in schools and other public institutions,
• Menstrual hygiene – recent activities,
• Microplastics

Participants had the opportunity to see the level of turbidity on samples of drinking water (100-200 ml) from their village, from a well or spring, tap water and check the presence of nitrates by nitrate tests.