Skopje, the capital of innumerable statues in Macedonia. It is where Klimentina decided to launch LicevLice, a street magazine that acts for marginalized people’s inclusion while raising awareness on societal issues.
An alternative initiative that has found its place
After 11 years working for different media, Klimentina thinks about her role as a journalist and editor in the society. Looking for something new, she gets interested in the street magazine movement that offers a social and responsible way of distribution. That is how LicevLice is created – or “Face to Face” in English -, a magazine sold by people from marginalized groups who get 50% of the selling price.
For this new challenge, she surrounds herself by a team of journalists and experts. Together they want to raise awareness on issues that the society faces and that the other magazines do not address. The beginning is not easy: people do not understand the added value of such a magazine and do not always have a good opinion on street sale. But over time and thanks to promotional activities – exhibitions, events with influential personalities or flashmob – LicevLice is established in the market. It mostly seduces people aged from 25 to 46, high educated and feminine. Today, new experts voluntarily join the team and contribute to the magazine’s development for free.
In a sustainable development approach, Klimentina has also succeeded in making LicevLice Skopje’s first newspaper printed on recycled paper.
Actions for better socialization and social inclusion
“We are really aware that we live in a digital world”, Klimentina explains. However, it was obvious for her to choose a paper magazine because it allows a “face to face” contact with people. For these people who mostly live in ghettos, this contact does often not exist. Vendors see it as “an honor to be able to sell and show that they get involved”, she continues. So it allows them to feel useful and active in the society.
LicevLice also offers a mentoring program. A team of 8 mentors works directly with vendors, helps them acquire and improve necessary selling techniques. “Our role is to help them help themselves,” concludes Klimentina.
Selling the magazine is also a way to “prepare my future”, Valentin adds, salesman for more than a year. Through daily practice and mentoring sessions, vendors acquire relational skills, learn how to persuade or to present oneself – key skills that employers are looking for. And it works: many of them find afterwards a job in a company.
Reaching a broader audience
This is LicevLice’s ambitious goal. The street magazine is a bi-monthly magazine currently sold in 6 cities in Macedonia. So it would be a real satisfaction for the team to be able to spread the practice in the whole country. The magazine brings a positive change in the life of marginalized people as well as in the one of the lectors – a win-win situation that their motto illustrates: “When you buy a magazine you help many people, when you read a magazine you help yourself”. Indeed, LicevLice is a network that seeks to expend in order to share progressive ideas. It thus is a positive media that looks for a more optimistic society.
Find out about the project on their website and facebook page