
VIDEO INTERVIEW | Hristijan Kalinov – "Retweet meal": Volunteers create a culture of helping and kindness
The "Retweet meal" initiative is a civic project from Skopje that has been working for almost 10 years to reduce food waste and to provide meals and groceries for socially disadvantaged and homeless people in Skopje. Every Friday, a group of volunteers gather together and prepare meals that are then delivered to those most in need.
Recommended
This initiative not only helps the most vulnerable in our society, but also creates a network of solidarity and volunteerism that involves everyone, regardless of age, ethnicity or social status.
Kristian Kalinov, one of the activists of "Retweet meal", for Free Press explains that this initiative started in a very simple way:
- The initiative started about 10 years ago, very naively, when two girls decided one weekend to join the "Kindness" association and prepare a dozen meals at their home. They shared on Twitter, they wanted to cook with us some weekend, retweet or share a meal. The next week some more people joined and after a week, I found out about it too, so I joined too.

Over time, the initiative expanded and gained widespread support. Today, between 120 and 150 meals are prepared every Friday, and groceries are provided daily thanks to donations from people who want to participate in cooking and donate food. This initiative also has a great impact on young people.
This time, students from Mother Teresa University attended, who came to prepare food instead of attending classes, as well as to learn what it means to be in solidarity and help.
– Every Friday, a different group that comes, usually provides the food we use for cooking. And people come from literally every class, every ethnicity, every age. Now we have university students "Mother Teresa" adds Kalinov.
The project is not only based on volunteer work, but also on cooperation with various organizations, people and companies that donate. "Retweet meal" has a long-term partnership with the civic association "Ljubeznost", which helps volunteers to deliver meals to the most vulnerable groups.
Kalinov explained to "Sloboden Pechat" that the initiative started modestly, but today it is proof that small actions can have a big impact.