2006, June

Dear friends, well I have just got back from another trip to Bosnia. Although the trip went well, funding as usual is our main problem. Now I know I say this all the time, but I really do need help … if there is anybody who can help fundraising please get in touch. I spent the first part of the trip in Sarajevo working with Phoenix, a charity from Yorkshire.

Sarah Greenwood (who runs the charity) organised meetings for me with two Bosnian groups and we visited the RVA association but they were unable to help with their projects due to the sheer scale of the problems. We also had a meeting with a lady called Alisa who runs the concentration camp survivors network.

Mirsad's wife and child.

Mirsad

Moving on, we would like to thank everybody who donated money to Mirsad's family. Mirsad, who was tragically killed in a building accident, was an excellent, honest builder who had done work for us in the past. We were looking forward to working together a lot in the future.

His wife–still coming to terms with his death–has been very busy planting crops at their nearby home to keep his family going. We would like to take a new bike over for his son. He is five years old and the spitting image of his dad, so if anybody can help us with this we would be most grateful.

Aid Packs

Alisa has asked us to make up food packages and hygiene packs for 50 of their members most in need. Over the next few weeks we will be looking into the best way of delivering these packs. We think it would probably be easier to buy all the necessary items in Bosnia then deliver them directly to the people, with the help of Alisa. Each pack will cost approximately £10, so this work will help a lot of people without breaking the bank.

Ramiz

We visited Ramiz Ahmedbasic in Dzakola to discuss the best way we could help repair his home. Due to lack of funding (as usual), we talked with Ramiz and he said if we could just supply the materials that he and his friends would be able to do the work. I would have preferred to get the builders in but with the funds we have it seemed to be the best option. After some time spent finding the materials, we had three trucks deliver the necessary items to Ramiz. He assured me the work would be done by the time I visited again so hopefully I will be able to get some photographs on my next visit.

Mustafa

The following day we called to see how Mustafa was getting on in the small home we built for him last year. I was impressed. He has planted a small garden with flowers around two sides of the house and erected a fence so his neighbour can keep sheep in a small patch of land he owns. He now rents this piece out and generates some income from it.

It is hard to believe this was the same man I had met in June last year, he looks so much better in his health and his outlook on life.I left him some money as he wants to start buying and selling again. He told me he had experience in the market place and with a bit of help he could build up his own pitch. I had to give the man a chance–he was so enthusiastic; I think in time he could be self sufficient again. We still need to build an outside toilet here with a septic tank so as soon as funds become available this is one of our main priorities.

Samir

Our next project took us to Lukavac and the home of Samir Hadzic. With help from Linda, who lives in Glossop, we have been able to sponsor Samir. We at last managed to open a bank account in Bosnia as this is something we have not been able to do in the past. It shows how the country is trying to catch up with the rest of Europe. We set up a standing order contract for 28 months and this will pay directly into Samir's account on the first of each month until he is eighteen years old. Samir, who has lost both parents, lives with his stepmother in a block of flats. He is not in good health so this will help provide medication and better quality of food for him. Thank you very much Linda.

Hasib

During my stay, we met up with Rod Howat who took me to a small village called Kuljen. Here we met Hasib Suljic, a married father of four and a landmine victim. Hasib explained to me what happened: During the Balkan's war he was out in the wood near the home collecting firewood. Shots rattled out and he ran through the woods trying to escape. Unfortunately, unknown to Hasib, he ran straight into a mine field and stood on a landmine which blew off his left leg below the knee. As he lay bleeding, his friend heard his screams and rescued him (at great danger to himself). Hasib likes to dance and was a dance champion in Bosnia before the war and it was for this reason that he was given a false leg by the hospital. The problem he now has is this leg is worn out and the hospital is unable to help him. He has blisters on his leg and finds walking very difficult and painful. With the help of Rod Howat, we took him to Otto Bock in Sarajevo. This is a German company who make prosthesis and they are a reputable company who do a great job. They have quoted the price of 2,622 km (£974). We will have to find the money for this.

Hasib and his wife Sadeta have four children, live in an extremely poor condition and receive a tiny monthly pension. There are some Bosnian organisations helping him build a small home approx. 6x3 m. They have supplied him with concrete and blocks and EETEP intend supplying the roof at a cost of 1,000 km (£370). This is a nice family who just need a helping hand. Out of the 18 children living in this village, only two are in school and these two are Hasib's. He understands their best chance of a future is through education. He works everyday trying to improve his families chances. He doesn't smoke, he doesn't drink and his children and home are kept clean. He impressed me with his determination to live a better life against all odds and we really feel he deserves help.

The problem we are facing at the moment is funding. Every week we hear about another family who need our help. Sometimes this help is just a wheelchair or some clothes and shoes for children. Not everything we do costs a fortune … if we had a few people willing to do a bit of fundraising we could do so much more. Please, if there is anything you can do to help please contact us. Thank you for reading.