Donate to people in Bosnia and Herzegovina!

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“Even as a small boy, I dreamed of becoming an automotive mechanic. Thanks to Help’s support, my dream has now come true, and I can support myself from my work.”
(Mehmed, 24 years old, car mechanic from Jablanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
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What is the situation like in Bosnia?

Many villages in Bosnia are abandoned — Many people in Bosnia and Herzegovina have no prospects in their home country: dilapidated houses are left behind.

Driven by the past

Bosnia and Herzegovina declared its independence in 1992 and is one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. Three years of civil war between Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian soldiers followed. The war only ended with the Dayton Peace Agreement. During the fighting, the capital, Sarajevo, and many other Bosnian cities, towns and villages were destroyed, and large areas of land were mined. Around 2.2 million people were internally displaced or fled abroad.

Today Bosnia and Herzegovina remains a divided state. Power struggles between rival political camps, blocked attempts to come to terms with the war and a weak economy are just some of the reasons for the divisions that still exist in society. Unemployment is high, as one in four adults are out of work.

The challenge for the future is to open up opportunities for the younger generation in particular and to prevent emigration abroad and political and religious radicalisation.

How is Help providing support in Bosnia?

Donate for Bosnia: emergency relief for refugees — Emergency relief for refugees in Bosnia and Herzegovina©Help/SOS Bihać

You can find more detailed information on the local Help website of Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Using local strenghts together

Help is currently providing emergency aid for homeless refugees at the Bosnian-Croatian border. Several thousand people are living in tents, abandoned buildings or self-built huts. Together with our partner organisation SOS Bihac, we provide the affected people with clothing, sleeping bags and hygiene kits, among other things.

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Help has been supporting people in Bosnia since 1995 and is familiar with the challenges and opportunities in the country. Help actively promotes small businesses and makes use of existing structures in its work: these include many local restaurants, catering and accommodation businesses, Bosnia’s unique nature as an agricultural resource and tourist attraction, and centuries of local knowledge in trades.

Help also supports local tourism and accommodation businesses that organise many activities for the large numbers of new tourists. From hiking tours and white-water rafting to sightseeing tours to national cultural monuments, tourism provides people with a secure income and creates opportunities for a better future.

Donors and partners: AA (Department for Foreign Affairs), ADH (Aktion Deutschland Hilft), Stiftung der Deutschen Lions, DOHLE Stiftung, SOS Bihac, action medeor e.V., NAK-Karitativ

Donate for Bosnia: Help supports entrepreneurs — Enver in his small workshop: Carpentry helps him to process his thoughts.

A passionate carpenter

On some days he can no longer walk without crutches: Enver from Bosnia suffers from muscular dystrophy. Due to the hereditary disease, which his son also suffers from, he had to give up his job. He finds distraction from the pain in his passion - working with wood. “I've already worked in many professions, but working with wood has always been my favourite.” By selling his craftsmanship, he can continue to provide for his family.

Help has supported Enver with equipment for his workshop, which he initially used to produce souvenirs. Nowadays, he constructs beehives, which enable him to generate a lot more income. He is very happy with this development: “I was very happy about your call and that you were coming to visit me. Now you can see that I have used your help,” says Enver with a smile on our visit, three years after the sponsorship.

Pursuing his dreams

Danko is 35 years old and studied veterinary medicine. He and his family had to flee during the Bosnian War. The road from being a refugee in his own country to being a veterinarian was long, but Danko never gave up. After graduating, he opened his own practice with the support of Help. He takes care of farm animals and pets as well as street dogs, which he nurses back to health and places in a new home. Since then, Danko has even been able to hire two employees.

At Help, we are proud of Danko's success story: our support has created and secured three jobs in the long term. In the future, Danko would like to specialize in pets. He just likes them a little better.

Donate for Bosnia: Danko in front of his practice — Danko was able to realise his dream of owning his own veterinary practice with the support of Help.

Pictures and videos

Ein Mitarbeiter von Help pflanzt anlässlich des Jubiläums einen Baum

Help has planted 4,000 black pine seedlings in Mount Prenj in Bosnia

Frisches Gemüse in einem Gewächshaus in Bosnien

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Facts and Figures

Figures about Bosnia and Herzegovina

The unemployment rate in Bosnia is 15.69% (2019)
64% of youth between 14 and 29 are unemployed (2019)
The average monthly salary is € 425 and thus remains at the bottom end of the scale in a European and regional comparison (2014)
51.76% of people live in rural areas (2018)

Sources: Worldbank, FES

Facts about Help in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Flood relief 2014:

Distribution of 4,300 hygiene and baby packages
Distribution of 33,500 Litres of drinking water
Renovation and reconstruction of 81 small businesses and farms as well as 12 apartment buildings

Combating poverty and fostering integration through economic development since 2005: