Davis Project for Peace Final Report

Collecting Smiles in Srebrenica

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Methodist University

Dzenana Dzanic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Methodist University, UWC in Mostar, BiH

Amna Causevic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Methodist University, UWC in Mostar, BiH

Samra Mrkovic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Methodist University, UWC in Mostar, BiH

Emina Hodzic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Methodist University, UWC in Mostar, BiH

Providing help to the victims of a genocide in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

SECTION 1

Our goal was to provide a long term help to the returnees of a devastated town of Srebrenica. Assistance included livestock (cow, sheep, chicken…), agricultural tools and furniture for their homes.

In addition to the $10,000 funds from Davis Project for Peace Organization, we collected monies from a three day fund raising campaign held on our university campus. We were successful in collecting a total of $350. Also, in order to include our Bosnian communities our hometowns, etc. we also collected monies and donations for the Srebrenica returnees.

We started our project at the end of May, 2011. As soon as we started, we faced our first obstacle. We intended to work with the organization called Srebrenica Mothers. This organization was supposed to give us a list of the families in Srebrenica who needed the most help. When we arrived in Bosnia, and met with the organization, we realized that they were not really interested in our project, just the income for their benefit. Instead, we found another source of help for our project, which was a famous Bosnian forensic scientist, Murat Hurtic, whose specialization is in the area of Bosnian genocide. He provided us with the names of the families who were in need and assisted us during each action.

Other obstacles we met were various in nature: geographical, financial, national and social. The first problem was the inaccessibility of villages where many families lived, which was the reason we exceeded the expected costs for transportation. The second problem was with the accommodations. Srebrenica was left destructed after the war and does not have any hotels or accommodation facilities in a 40 mile radius. We had to rent rooms from local families which increased our expected expenses for the accommodations. Another big obstacle was dealing with people of other nationalities. It was hard to gain trust from Serbian families because of the past conflict and the initial war between Bosnians and Serbs. Furthermore, we had a shortage of families’ trust because of their previous experiences with the donors and organizations similar to Srebrenica Mothers.

Our next step was to meet with each family individually in order to see what kind of help they needed. Overall, we provided help to 14 needy families. A few families received livestock (cows and sheep) which will provide them with milk, meat and newborns and give each family a permanent income. We helped them to collect hay, milk cows, make cheese and cream as well as sell the items on the market. Other families received economic tools such as a greenhouse, a chainsaw, a sewing machine and a fishing rod, to start their own business. We helped with planting, collecting and selling vegetables. Families whose priority was to renovate their destroyed houses, received furniture: couch and wardrobe, refrigerators and an oven. We also helped to paint their homes. Some families asked only for help to survive the coming winter so we bought them wood and coal and helped to store it. Last, but not least, we gave moral support to the families on 11th of July – the annual funeral of the victims of ‘95s genocide.

SECTION 2

Peace for us represents all of the world’s great differences (national, cultural, religious, and ethnical) being not only united but also supporting and understanding each other.

Our project supports peace in great proportions. We brought Serbian and Bosnian families together to help each other in the same hard situation. For example, we purchased wood for a Bosnian family and a chainsaw to a Serbian family, and brought them together to profit from it in such a way that a Serb may chop wood for a Bosnian family.

We can freely say that this project has changed our perception of the world. We have seen people living on the edge of existence and still having the will for life. We have learned to appreciate everything we have and be satisfied with small things in life. Moreover, it was a great shock for us to see that even after 16 years, Srebrenica still does not have basic facilities such as post office, hospitals and clothes shops.

“This project brought the four of us and our families together, which was a great experience for us. Also, we made new friends and stayed in touch with them. We feel we benefited much more from them than they did from us. They taught us much about life.”

Dzenana, Amna, Samra, Emina