From REF scholarship to service: REF Alumnus Dr. Arif Pini Brings Medical Expertise Back to Roma Communities
Roma Education Fund North Macedonia organised two community workshops on cardiovascular health on 3 and 10 September in Shuto Orizari. The sessions focused on practical knowledge: recognising symptoms and risk factors, asking more targeted questions during medical consultations, attending regular health screenings, and adopting daily habits that can contribute to better long-term health.
The workshops were delivered with Dr. Arif Pini, a REF alumnus and specialist in internal medicine whose connection with Roma Education Fund began through the Roma Health Scholarship Program (RHSP). Originally from Gostivar, Dr. Pini graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in Skopje and went on to build a career in medicine while remaining engaged with Roma communities and issues of access to healthcare.
His involvement in Shuto Orizari brings REF’s investment in education full circle: from supporting a young Roma student on his path into medicine to seeing that professional knowledge return to the community through prevention, trusted medical guidance and greater health awareness.
During the workshops, Dr. Pini drew attention to premature mortality and the prevalence of chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension. In this context, prevention goes beyond providing information. It means enabling people to recognise risks earlier, understand when medical attention is needed and engage more effectively with healthcare services.
“As I looked around the room, one thought became clear to me: my community is facing health challenges that cannot be solved by organising a few short-term events or pooling together temporary resources. We need to cultivate a new generation of medical doctors from within the Roma community and implement disease prevention work at community level. Only by advancing both areas consistently can we truly improve people’s quality of life,” explained Dr. Arif Pini.
For Roma Education Fund, Dr. Pini’s trajectory demonstrates the multiplier effect that education can create. A scholarship supports an individual at a critical point in their education, but the value of that investment can extend much further when graduates become professionals, role models and sources of expertise within their communities.
“Dr. Pini’s journey shows why investing in Roma human capital is important. The impact of education does not end with one person’s professional achievement; it creates a multiplier effect within the community. When Roma students become medical doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs and leaders, they act as role models and bring knowledge, confidence and new opportunities back to their communities,” said Redjepali Chupi, Team Leader of the strategic pillar Roma Human Capital.
The workshops in Shuto Orizari show how an investment made years ago in the education of a Roma student can return today as knowledge, professional expertise and stronger capacity within the community.
