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Project
Overview
Losing one or both parents is a trauma for any child in
any situation. In countries devastated by war, thousands
of children are orphaned and left to struggle for survival.
Islamic Relief's one-to-one Orphan Sponsorship programme
began during the war in 1993. Currently Islamic Relief donors
sponsor almost 500 Bosnian orphans.
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Project Background
Orphan families are, with few exceptions, living an extremely
precarious existence. The loss of husbands and fathers during
the war has meant the loss of the families' primary breadwinner.
Furthermore, orphan families are reluctant to return to their
pre-war homes since they now lie in Serb majority areas and,
in any event, many houses have been completely destroyed.
They have frequently been forced to occupy Serb houses, and
are now being evicted as their original owners seek to repossess
their properties.
Islamic Relief's housing
programme has sought to provide low-cost housing
loans to orphan families. In an economic climate in which
unemployment is high, widows with few employment skills have
found obtaining employment extremely difficult.
Islamic Relief has sought to provide training for widows to
increase their chances of finding employment. In the short
to medium term orphan families are extremely dependent on
the sponsorship monies and other assistance that they receive.
Project Objectives
The orphan one-to-one sponsorship project aims to increase
the living standards of orphans and their families.
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Other projects implemented as part of the orphans
programme have orphan welfare at their heart but provide particular
assistance at specific times during the year, for example,
the distribution of school satchels prior to the start of
the school year, and the construction of the summer camp during
the school holidays.
Project Activities
The one-to-one sponsorship programme forms the core of the
orphans programme in BiH and provides a regular monthly income
of 35 euros per orphan child. This financial assistance will
ensure that orphans are able to cover the cost of basic necessities
of items such as food and clothing.
Additional activities for the benefit of orphans include
the distribution of school satchels, Ramadan food parcels
and Qurbani meat distribution, and the construction of swimming
pool, kitchen and bathroom for an orphan's summer camp.
Beneficiaries
The beneficiaries are orphans and their families. All orphans
targeted are living in relative poverty and form the most
vulnerable sector of the population.
Other Activities in the Country
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