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Gorjan Jovanovski - Macedonian, Europe

2020 Winner | Software engineer | Macedonian

AirCare, a web and mobile app, was started in 2015, and aimed to help people 'know what they breathe'. It is currently the highest rated air pollution app in the Google Play Store. Since Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, is known to have air that is polluted up to 20 times over the EU limits, it was very important to help citizens understand the severity of the problem. By using open data from government, volunteer and satellite measuring stations, AirCare displays this in a very simple and understandable way. Once people became more aware, this new knowledge triggered massive nationwide protests, with people blocking streets in many cities in North Macedonia, demanding that the government take serious action for protecting our health. Since then, AirCare has expanded to 12 countries in Europe, reaching over 200,000 users in 6 languages - informing them, connecting them to local events and NGOs, and empowering them to fight for a pollution free future. After all, breathing clean air is a human right!

Gorjan was born in North Macedonia in 1993, and after enrolling in university, became an active member of the ecological movement in the country. Using his technology skills, Gorjan managed to find ways of visualising hidden environment data to the masses. He got a master's degree in Software Engineering in The Netherlands, and after living there for 4 years, decided to quit his job to move back to his home country and focus full time on AirCare. He now leads 4 different socially responsible projects, from air pollution to animal welfare and media monitoring.

Disclaimer: NOTE: This content was shared online for the 2019 cycle of the Young Champions of the Earth programme and has not been updated. This listing does not constitute any endorsement by nor status with the UN Environment Programme.

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