“To Earn-Not to Get” – 280 business grants for mine victims

Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Deutschland e.V (ASB) held the closing Conference under the slogan “To Earn-Not to Get” within the EU-funded project “Socio-economic empowerment of mine victims and their families through provision of business trainings and employment opportunities in BiH” in Sarajevo on April 15^th 2015.

This innovative project of the total value € 1.147.200 has provided 280 business grants for mine victims in 23 Bosnian municipalities / cities and Brcko District for creation of jobs and employment opportunities. The project has introduced a new approach to support for micro and small businesses for vulnerable population groups through competitive model that secure grants only for those who successfully pass all training and, based on business education provided within training, create feasible and sustainable business plans.

Massimo Mina, Head of Section III of the Delegation of the European Union to BiH, Mario Nenadic, Assistant Minister of the state Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees, numerous municipal mayors, coordinators, mine victims and guests from international and local organizations attended the Conference while many Bosnian and international media followed up the Conference.

The overall impression was that such projects and innovative approach are exactly what is needed for vulnerable groups in contemporary Bosnia, thus reducing dependency on humanitarian aid and sense of lethargy and fatalism while creating sense of ownership over the process and positive psycho-social and psychological impact onto mine victims.