After the transition, his family faced financial crisis, Dnevnik daily reads. They survive and thrive on one- income and collecting bottles. However, the poor financial situation did not prevent Tome Kirijazi (18) to progress in his education. Beginning the first grade in the primary school up to the senior high school he received no grade lower than five. This year he completed the high school as the best student in the technical school "Gjorgi Naumov" in Bitola. In the school he is known as a very talented mathematician and physicist with solid knowledge of astronomy. In addition to his frequent participation at regional and national competitions in mathematics, where he won several prizes, this summer he participated at the World contest in Astronomy and Astrophysics in Suchava, Romania.
Never a Bookworm
"Up till August 11, I was part of a huge team with two hundred young talents in astronomy from 32 countries of the world. I secured my attendance as being one of the top five winners of the astronomy contest in Macedonia. In Romania we had a test with solving tasks, theoretical and practical part such as processing of astronomy data, observing with a telescope and part of the planetarium", says the young and talented Kirijazi.
He is very knowledgeable in natural sciences. He says he has never stayed at home and memorized facts, but he mostly acquired the knowledge at school. It takes him few seconds to review the details recorded on a piece of paper, and then flawlessly interpret. Love for astronomy occurred when he went to high school and his physics professor registered him for most of the competitions. Unfortunately, he didn’t manage to become on of the winners in Romania due to the strong competition.
"We prepared ourselves for the competition at home by using Internet and studying from the books provided by our professor. There are not many options to advance in astronomy, in Bitola as there is no equipment and telescopes. In Romania we had the opportunity to familiarize with advanced equipment and learn more from the other participants", added Kirijazi.
The family collects bottles, but the Red Cross helps them too
Accommodation in Romania had been paid, but the transport and the stay costs of young Tomche had been supported by the municipal organization of the Red Cross in Bitola.
"Red Cross helps us. They provided the clothing for the prom party and the money for Romania, amounting 250 Euros. He saved 50 Euros and returned to the Red Cross on the next day he came back from Romania. Thanks to the Red Cross we have internet and a laptop at home. We have three children; I am a housewife while my husband worked in a factory which went into bankruptcy. We used to claim social benefits, but they had been terminated for us. Now, we collect bottles and our older daughter works", says his mother Zorka Kirijazi.
She has sacrificed a lot to feed and educate the children
"I would usually ask the children early enough whether they would need something for school because we have always been financially weak. Hence, they won’t feel inferior. I would give up my meal of the day as to have enough food for them. In addition I would borrow school accessories", adds the self-sacrificing mother.
Her work pays off as her son left the high school as the best student, and in a month he will be a freshman in the new Faculty of Information and computer technologies in Bitola.
