Sustainable income project to change lives for the most vulnerable families

It's like winning a Bingo jackpot! I can only be happy!’, exclaims Nenad, a 40 year old father of two small children, as he stands in front of his house in a rural and  mountainous area of Bosnia and Herzegovina. His family has recently been selected to take part in World Vision's Graduation out of Poverty project that aims to economically strengthen the most vulnerable families. For Nenad, this is hitting the jackpot.

Fifty families from two municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina will take part in this one-year project that will provide them with sustainable income sources. “They will be supported throughout the three stages of the project; assets to enable them to have income and food security, training to enable them to increase their skills and capacities and psychosocial support to overcome poverty. We will also be there for these families to help them with the challenges they might face on everyday basis”, explains Armina Silić, World Vision's Project Manager.

Nenad and his wife are both unemployed and raising their two children aged 6 and 12 the best way they can. ‘I clean stables, chop wood. I do honest work to earn a bit. I am not ashamed’, shares Nenad. Through the World Vision project, Nenad’s family will receive a cow and have already prepared a pasture for it. ‘This means a lot to us. It will change our lives for the better’ says Nenad’s wife Dragana.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has the highest unemployment rate in the region. Some 45 per cent of adults are not working. Every fifth child in Bosnia and Herzegovina lives in poverty. Through this livelihood and resilience project, World Vision aims to give sustainable options to families across the country, shared Silić.

One of the beneficiaries of the project

Nenad’s neighbours, who have three children, have also been selected.

Their house is humid and cold. Despite the winter period, it is not being warmed. “This year started awfully for me” says Nevenka as she stands at the front door. “I was in hospital, my husband was in hospital. We are both unemployed and are barely surviving“.

Nevenka and her family will receive sheep from World Vision. They already have one chicken and rooster. ‘We have some land. All we need are domestic animals. This means so much to us!’, shares Nevenka.

When sheep arrive, the whole family will take care of them. Nevenka’s daughter, 12-year old Nataša already has practice from helping her neighbor with their animals. ‘She named all the lambs by the names of famous singers!’ Nevenka laughs.

Project “Graduation out of Poverty” is supported by World Vision Taiwan.