On the International Day of Older Persons, Ohrid officially opened a Day Centre for the Elderly focused on active ageing. A space for socialising, recreation and educational activities - and above all, a place where older residents won't spend their days alone.

The project is run by the Municipality of Ohrid, the World Bank and the Ministry of Social Policy, Demography and Youth, with the citizens' association VOPS as the lead partner. The World Bank and the Ministry provided 1,250,919 denars (about 20,300 euros), while the municipality chipped in 438,000 denars. The premises belong to the municipality, which also covers the monthly utility bills, and an 8+1 van has been provided to bring users in.

The centre has a day room, a kitchen, rooms for recreation and for professional staff, and three toilets. It runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and currently has around thirty regular users. Planned activities cover physical and mental exercise, involvement in community life and contact between generations.

"What was promised is becoming reality," said Mayor Kiril Pecakov, adding that he sees the centre as a place "not for the old, but for older people".

The money isn't big, but the need is real. The question is the one that always follows a ribbon-cutting in the Balkans: once the project money is spent, who pays for the staff and the activities? Thirty users is a decent start. How many older people in Ohrid actually need a place like this - and do they even know it exists?