Bosnia and Herzegovina.
For decades Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of Yugoslavia. But in 1992 these peaceful people woke up to a nightmarish war of ethnic-cleansing that would wipe out hundreds of thousands of people, severely injure 200,000, and terrorize millions.
And women suffered horribly because rape and torture were were used as weapons of war.
There were actually rape concentration camps where women endured forced impregnation and mass rapes on a daily basis. Women were often required to cook and clean for the soldiers while naked. The horrifying humiliation was sometimes worse than the physical torment.
But war and terror met a new kind of resistance in the spirit of the Bosnian women.
Thanks to the courage and bravery of these women who spoke out about the crimes they endured, for the first time ever, rape was prosecuted in international courts as a war crime.
Now these brave women need your help.
The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina toppled the economy, and today they are struggling.
- 60% of all houses were destroyed
- 50% of the schools are gone
- Nearly 1/3 of all hospitals were damaged or destroyed
- Landmines have made farming deadly
- 60% of livestock were obliterated
- 45% of women are unemployed making them easy targets for prostitution traffickers
- 99% of women take care of 1-2 children left motherless from the war
You Can Give a Brave Woman Like Zejneba a Reason to Hope … a Reason to Live!
Picture yourself in Zejneba's shoes. She awakens one morning to find that entire families from her village – fathers, sons, husbands, brothers – disappeared.
All around her she sees women literally dying of sadness and helplessness. Her own mother-in-law is murdered right in front of her. She and her husband flee with their children – carrying them for hundreds of miles when their tiny feet refused to take another step. Thanks to the generosity and caring of women like you – Zejneba's story has a happy ending.
Restore Hope to a Woman Like Zejneba.
You can help continue the amazing success story in Bosnia and Herzegovina!
Since the war, much of the world has forgotten Bosnia and Herzegovina. But the women here need your help more than ever to continue making strides. In the last few years 9,407 women have received important program services. These loans help women start business in everything from agriculture and knitting to jewelry making, home design and even carpentry.
We have expanded our roles to reach over 55 different communities. We provide important job skills training. Women receive rights awareness training so they can prevent themselves from becoming victims. Women for Women International is bringing lifesaving services to women in a human trafficking shelter in Sarajevo so they can reclaim their lives. Women throughout this war torn country are taking active roles in their communities and the results are beautiful.
There is still more work to be done.
Women come to our offices literally begging for more training programs, literacy training, health care and schooling for their children and more. They so desperately hope that you will find it in your heart to help them now.
Women for Women International Programs Work!
- An astounding 22,838 women have been helped so far
- We have launched women's human rights and leadership training programs
- Expanded to reach women in 60 communities
- 88% of women say their self confidence is greater
- 96% report their intentions to use the vocational skill learned during the program
- 66% report developing friendships and support networks
- 55% learned about their rights
Perhaps there is no better proof of success then stories from women like Milka. This amazing woman has turned a microcredit loan into a thriving business that not only helps sustain her family of seven– but is now employing other local citizens. Milka used her loan to turn a small farm into a growing raspberry business complete with a contract with the largest bakery in Bosnia and Herzegovina! She is now chief of her Microcredit center and helps other women start successful businesses.
Your Kind Donations are Used for:
- Housing: 31%
- Food: 26%
- School fees: 3%
- Medicine: 5%
- Clothing: 7%
- Income generation: 2%
Outreach
Seida Saric, Bosnia and Herzegovina Country Director
Economic Independence
with Microfinance Loans!
- Served over 20,000 women
- Provided loans for over 20,000 women
- Helped women start successful businesses by loaning over $50 million
Bosnian women are enjoying economic independence for the first time - and building better lives for themselves and their families and their country!
New! Our Bosnian microcredit loans are now available for funding through our partnership with Kiva. Learn More.
