Success Story form AMPLE Skopje: EverGreen: turning urban corners into green oases

In the heart of Kisela Voda, Skopje, one woman’s vision turned a neglected concrete courtyard into a living, breathing green oasis.

Through the AMPLE Skopje programme, Daniela Zlatanovska developed EverGreen Urban Garden: an initiative that blends urban sustainability, community involvement, and the joy of reconnecting people with nature.

Before joining AMPLE, Daniela nurtured a small garden filled with herbs and flowers. But she dreamed of something bigger — a space that would bring neighbours together and promote urban gardening in her community.

With the support of mentors from Vita Nova Skopje and Nutri Balans, she learned how to design a project plan, calculate costs, and turn her passion into a business model. Through the training sessions, she also gained knowledge in financial literacy, green entrepreneurship, and community engagement, helping her refine the idea into a sustainable concept.

“AMPLE Skopje gave me the courage and structure to act on an idea I had been carrying for years,” says Daniela.

“Our vision with EverGreen is to transform unused urban spaces into shared gardens filled with aromatic, decorative, and edible plants — creating a sense of belonging and environmental awareness among residents.”

EverGreen envisions transforming abandoned inner courtyards in Kisela Voda into green spaces planted with lavender, rosemary, basil, and marigolds. The garden will include educational mini-workshops for local residents and schools, community planting days, and a platform for exchanging seedlings and eco-practices.

“This is more than a garden, it’s a way to reconnect people with the soil and with one another,” Daniela explains. “It’s about creating a model that can be replicated in other parts of Skopje.”

Her project received enthusiastic feedback at the AMPLE Skopje Final Event at Netaville, where she was among 16 finalists presenting their ideas to local partners, investors, and the EIT Food community. EverGreen stood out for its sustainability, inclusiveness, and replicability, showing how one woman’s idea can grow into a community-wide movement.

EverGreen is proof that when knowledge meets passion, even the smallest urban corner can bloom into a greener, more connected community.