On August 13, 2024, Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans signed a memorandum of understanding with the Municipality of Fushe Kosova in Kosovo.

The MoU outlines a collaborative framework between OSF-WB and the Municipality of Fushe Kosova, focusing on the implementation of the Sunny Schools Project. This initiative aims to invest in several schools in Fushe Kosova by installing solar panels on their rooftops, thereby promoting renewable energy and environmental sustainability.

This investment is part of the “Sunny Schools Initiative” that promotes sustainable energy practices but also empowers communities and fosters local participation, paving the way for a greener and more resilient future in the Western Balkans. 

The electricity generated by the solar panels will be utilized by the schools, thereby decreasing their reliance on the public electricity grid and resulting in direct savings on their electricity bills. The Municipality has agreed that the money saved on the electricity bills will be then returned as investment to the respective schools, to implement project ideas submitted by the school community.

The Municipality of Fushe Kosova has also pledged to invest an additional 20,000 Euros as part of this MoU.

Fushe Kosova schools join the ranks of Prishtina and Gjakova schools in the Sunny Schools initiative in Kosovo, along with other municipalities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Serbia.