Benefit Society Oshchima: A Lifeline for Early Immigrants
1907
Prospect Cemetery
Section 8 Lot 372
Founded in Toronto in 1907, the Benefit Society Oshchima was created by immigrants from the Macedonian village of Oshchima (often spelled “Oshtima”), nestled in the mountains of Aegean Macedonia near Lerin and Kostur. Oshchima’s origins trace back to the early 18th century, when families fleeing Ottoman persecution established the village in rugged terrain, sustaining themselves through farming and herding under harsh conditions.
The first Oshchimian men arrived in Canada in 1904 as pečalbari (migrant workers), returning home with savings. By 1915, women joined the migration, and the community faced daunting challenges: illiteracy, language barriers, overcrowded housing and unstable employment. The Society offered vital support: financial aid for medical care or repatriation, assistance to impoverished families back home and funding for public works in Oshchima.
By 1982, about 700 Canadians could trace their roots to Oshchima, most residing in Toronto. One of the Society’s most enduring contributions was securing burial plots at Pine Hills and Prospect Cemeteries, offered free to its members, a gesture of dignity and solidarity that continues to resonate in the Macedonian Canadian community.
Sources:
• Mount Pleasant Group – Benefit Society Oshchima
• Macedonian Villages – History of Oshchima
• Biser Balkanski – Story of Oshchima
• Wikipedia – Macedonian Canadians
