As a part of the project “Integrated Landmine Survivor Assistance in Mine-Affected Returnee Communities throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina”, through job creation in communities with a significant level of minority return, financial support was provided to 110 survived mine victims in BiH. This information is a part of the project achievements presented on 22 January 2010 at the ceremony that took place in the Hotel „Bosna“ in Banja Luka. The total value of the project was 475.000 euro, out of which 400.000 was provided by the European Union.

«The objective of this project is a successful rehabilitation and reintegration in economic, social and political life of BiH. The support which was based on the abilities and not the disabilities of the survived mine victims, will contribute to their socialisation and improvement of their lives » – stated in her address at the ceremony, Maria Farrar-Hockley, Head of Operations Section I within the Delegation of the EU to BiH.

«As a pre-accession country, BiH must reinforce its strategic approach in order to promote the social inclusion so that all its citizens, including the most vulnerable ones, can contribute to the economic development of the country“- stated Farrar-Hockley and emphasised that one should bear in mind «that the minority groups are often at the margins of the society and are not given the equal possibilities due to the ethnic, age and gender differences or disabilities.»

Speaking of the EU support which BiH receives for providing support to the returnees, minorities and other vulnerable categories of population, Farrar-Hockley stated that the EU was aware of the danger faced by the population living in the mine contaminated areas. „That is why the EU financed several demining activities in which we invested 23 million euro up to now. Therefore we would like to encourage BiH government to invest more funds in demining activities in order to create a safer environment for BiH population.» – stated Maria Farrar-Hockley.

The details of the project implemented by the international organisation Mercy Corps Scotland were presented by Mirza Jašarević, Project Coordinator. The Project lasted for 18 months and covered 112 municipalities and Brčko Distrikt. The activities included two components: direct economic support to the project beneficiaries and improvement of the perspectives and employment possibilities for the survived mine victims and other people with disabilities in BiH labour environment.

The selection of the beneficiaries was done from the mine victims’ data-base. The beneficiaries were able to purchase resources for production, education on how to run a small business was organised and project beneficiaries were linked with the markets and key players in the area of economic development. As far as the improvement of the employment perspectives of the survived mine victims were concerned, the project included organisation of the presentations, round tables as well as the campaign on the occasion of the International Day of Mine Awareness and the best employer of people with disabilities for 2009 was organised. But the best impressions were the satisfied faces of the project beneficiaries.

«What meant the most to me was not only the donation but also the know-how which I obtained during the education and a possibility to obtain the knowledge which I will use in my business activity”- stated one of the project beneficiaries Ilija Bujadnjak, who invested the donation in the green-house vegetables production. «I knocked for help on many doors but all remained closed. However, this project had both the ear and space for me» stated with satisfaction Samir Čičak, who expressed his satisfaction about the green-house production of vegetables and fruits as primary activity which enabled him contribute to the society.

Letters of appreciation were delivered to the representatives of the co-financers of the Project: Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of FBiH, Fund for Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Disabled People of Republika Srpska, Federal Employment Bureau, “Partner” – micro-credit foundation and Hypo Alpe Adria bank BiH. The project partners were Initiatives for the mine survivors – IPM BiH, Union for Sustainable Return and Integration of BiH, Fund for Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Disabled People of Republika Srpska and Association “Centre for Development and Support – CRP” from Tuzla.

The ceremony was completed with a piano performance by Miss Violeta Pećić, music teacher and a person with disability from Derventa.