A memory

Shefket – mercy and heartiness

In the registers of the Archive of Macedonia two humanitarian associations active in Macedonia before the World War II are mentioned – the humanitarian association “Tetovo Apple” from Skopje and the Muslim voluntary association Shefket.

However, the deeds which these associations have left behind, do not let them stay remembered only in the archive documentation, but in people’s memory, too. Mrs. Viljdan Selim Hadzi Muharem from Skopje called the Civic World and wanted to share with us her memories of this association, told to her by her parents.

"Before World War II, the association formed by the Turks – Shefket, worked actively. In Turkish, its name means mercy, or heartiness, and that was exactly its mission – to help people. In the organization of this association, imarets – people’s kitchens were opened, where poor people were given a meal, regardless of their religion or nationality. The associations collected voluntary help from the guild and the citizens, but they all gave their help anonymously, which really shows they did it wholeheartedly. One of the founders of this association was our famous artist’s grandfather, Gazanfer Bajram. It was obviously a very human family, because Gazanfer Bajram’s grandmother was also dedicated to humanitarian work. She was the first woman humanist in Macedonia at that time and she united the illiterate women and organized analphabetic courses for them, that is, courses for they to become literate. In that women’s association, which worked as a women’s section in Shefket, women were organized to embroider, sew and thread and their products were sold, thus contributing to getting bigger incomes in their families. My mother mentioned that there was also a branch in Veles (my family comes from Veles). She also remembered the so-called “Hawks women’s association” which organized matinees (daytime gatherings) organized its work and initiated many humanitarian actions. For example, they collected voluntary help, in a form of clothes or money, providing books for the poorer children at the beginning of the school year,"  Mrs. Viljdan Selim Hadzi Muharem shared her mother’s reminiscences.