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 ESSAY about Association “Education Builds Bosnia and Herzegovina – Jovan Divjak”

1994-2025 / 31 years

On July 28, 1994, 58 citizens of Sarajevo – intellectuals, theatre professionals, artists and writers, soldiers, policemen and ordinary citizens established Foundation/Association “Education Builds BiH”, with the mission children of war victims – our permanent concern, a crucial mission reflecting essential consequences of the war – namely, the destruction of educational institutions and the collapse of the educational system.

After 27 years of dedicated work, in 2021, the initiator of the idea, one of the founders, and our long-term executive director, Jovan Divjak, passed away. In his memory, the Association was renamed to “Education Builds BiH – Jovan Divjak”.

In thirty-one years of work, the Association has consistently provided daily support for children of war victims, children/youth with disabilities and talent, children/youth of the Roma national minority and underprivileged children/youth. The Association, with its doors always open, has fully realizes the core of its mission – first providing moral, and then material, support to children, youth and their parents/guardians throughout BiH.

63.457 children, youth and their families have benefited from services totaling BAM 13.816.228,72 (≈EUR 7.064.125,57/ USD 7.343.866,34)[1]:

  • 8.541 annual scholarships, totaling BAM 7.795.945 (≈EUR 3.986.003,38 / USD 4.143.849,91) – including scholarships for 2024/2025.
  • For 1.208 beneficiaries, mothers and young people, we organized psychosocial workshops worth BAM 1.016.901,14 (≈EUR 519.933,30 / USD 540.522,76);
  • 48.976 children and young people have received support in the form of clothes, school supplies, sports gear, and other material support valued at BAM 3.343.276,58 (≈EUR 1.709.390,17 / USD 1.777.082,36);
  • 4.732 beneficiaries participated in educational projects across 18 European countries, Canada, Uruguay and at Lake Boračko in BiH; in the total value of BAM 1.235.106 (≈EUR 631.499,67 / USD 656.507,18);
  • The Association supported twenty-six schools in BiH by donating various school and sports equipment, IT resources, books, and renovating school buildings and gyms in total value of BAM 000 (≈EUR 217.299,05 / USD 225.904,13).

[1] As of December 31, 2024 (including scholarships for the 2024/2025 school year)

We are existing and achieving our goals for thirty-one years thanks to a large number of donors, sponsors, members and friends from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Europe, the USA and Australia – individuals, groups, non-governmental organizations, and institutions.

The Association secures funds for scholarships and other activities through membership fees, organizing philanthropic cultural events (such as concerts, exhibitions), publishing activities, educational projects, and donations from businesses and individual contributions. It is important to note that the Association owns its property, as well as material and technical resources, ensuring uninterrupted work.

During its many years of work, the Association has carried out a number of significant activities:

  1. Printing and selling calendars (26 years) – A fundraising activity focused on supporting the Association’s mission.
  2. Overcoming post-traumatic consequences for children, youth, parents, and guardians (23 years) – A program focused on providing emotional and psychological support to individuals who have experienced traumatic events.
  3. Organizing and participating in peace education and trust-building programs in BiH and abroad (21 years) – Promoting peace education and trust-building while strengthening mutual understanding and cooperation at both local and international levels.
  4. Educational-inclusive camp “Boračko jezero” (20 years) – A camp dedicated to education and inclusion, bringing together children and youth from diverse social and cultural backgrounds.
  5. Empowering youth in career development (10 years) – Activities that offer training and resources to young people, helping them develop professional skills.
  6. Providing opportunities for youth from returnee communities (15 years) – Focusing on creating opportunities for young people from returnee families through various programs and initiatives, contributing to their social inclusion and personal development.

We take pride in the fact that many have recognized the human significance of the Association—our greatest asset is the investment made in people.

In 2021, we were proclaimed as Association of Special Importance for the City of Sarajevo and as Association of Public Interest for the Municipality of Novo Sarajevo. We are also proud to have received the Sixth April Award of the City of Sarajevo in 2016. Additionally, we are the recipients of the Freedom Award (International Center for Peace), Plaques of the Ministry of Education and Science of FBiH, Golden Plaques of the Municipality of Novo Sarajevo 2010 and 2021, Plaques of the Council of the Congress of Bosniak Intellectuals, Acknowledgments of the University of Sarajevo, BH Telecom Awards for Proud Partners and over 150 letters of thanks from partner organizations and schools. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Association, BH Post Ltd. issued a commemorative postage stamp “25 years of the Association Education Builds BiH”.