$22680 collected for flood victims in BiH and Serbia

Financial aid for children affected by floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia collected via fundraising platform Razoo

Thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of a group of friends from Washington and Sarajevo that initiated a fundraising action for people hit by recent floods, $22.680 or BAM32.659 were gathered and will be directed, through Save the Children, to activities aimed at alleviating the consequences of severe floods that hit Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Serbia in May 2014.

Catastrophic floods that hit BiH and Serbia after heaviest rainfall ever recorded in the region caused humanitarian crisis in which 74.000 persons in both countries were evacuated from their homes, while dozens thousands of people witnessed destruction of their homes, agricultural land and their only sources of income.

“With the first days of rainfall it was clear that the damage will be far-reaching and long-term, while the existing aid capacities were very limited. That is why we felt the need to reach out with our contribution. It was also clear that natural disasters don’t choose who to hit and that citizens of both BiH and Serbia were equally affected. We wanted to show solidarity in times of trouble and decided to donate the collected funds to the organisation that provides aid in both countries and focusing on the youngest population,” explains  Ivana Cvetkovic Bajrovic, one of the initiators of the fundraising action.

Children in areas hit by floods suffer psychosocial distress due to of displacement,  the loss of their homes and loved ones, the destruction of their schools and the overall disruption to their lives  as they knew it only a little over a  month ago.

The magnitude of the floods on families has been extremely distressing for the children in affected areas.  Our staff have been talking to children about their experiences, such as watching their homes fill with water, having to grab hold of a younger sibling to run to safety in the dead of night, and not knowing when they will be able to go back home and see their friends again.  Parents have told us how their children have become more introverted since the disaster and how their children become physically upset now whenever it starts to rain.” said Andrea Zeravcic, Country Director for Save the Children in the North-West Balkans.  

“Children are the most vulnerable in any disaster, especially those from poorer and marginalised backgrounds, and their specialised needs can often be overlooked,” said Mrs Zeravcic.

Floods severely hit families and affected their existential issues, increasing their need for income and for the normal functioning of their households due to the loss of all of their possessions. With less than two months before beginning of the new school year, there is a great concern that families affected by floods will not be able to equip their children for school thus increasing the risk of drop- out from the education system, especially for children that come from vulnerable groups.

This is why Save the Children decided to use the funds raised with the wholehearted assistance of donors from all around the world to purchase backpacks with school supplies for children in BiH and Serbia. With the available funds, we expect to be able to assist at least 350 families and over 700 children affected by the floods to successfully start the new school year in September. Save the Children will give special attention to children and families living in poverty before the floods.

Save the Children uses this opportunity to thank Ivana Cvetkovic Bajrovic, Ajla Delkic, Renata Stuebner and many others who contributed to fundraising for victims of floods.